


Starks Daughter

by MsDaHedgehog



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2019-04-29
Packaged: 2019-07-27 03:36:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 94,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16210583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsDaHedgehog/pseuds/MsDaHedgehog
Summary: After the death of an ex-girlfriend, Tony learns that he has a daughter. With the help of Pepper he learns how to be a father to a seventeen year old, but not without difficulties - especially when his lifestyle puts her in danger. - First few chapters set in 2009 with it then jumping to 2015 (before Ultron ever happened).Not the best summary, but hey ho. Originally posted on ff.net..Updates aren't regular (Sorry about that!)





	1. Chapter 1

**_June 1st, 2009_ **

The weather in London was unusually bitter for the time of year. Sharp winds caused close by trees to bounce repeatedly against windows and the frequent 'whipping' sounds made one think of the possibility of being picked up and flung across the street. Rain pounded down like a constant, cold running shower that would soak through coats and clothes within seconds of stepping outside the safety of your home. This was not the place Annabelle Cooper wanted to spend her seventeenth birthday, and even though it wasn't for another four days, the weather report predicted that England’s capital would continue to be hit with the unexpected storm for another week.

The taxi Annabelle and her mother were currently travelling in inched forward ever so slightly in the heavy traffic, taking them closer to their desired destination - the National Portrait Gallery. Her mother, Gabriella, was due to give a talk to a group of students studying art history and had dragged her daughter along with her, wanting her to have the experience as well. An accomplished art historian herself, Gabriella had been specifically picked from her position at Harvard University to give the lecture and had readily agreed. Luckily, the two of them had left their hotel hours early with the intention of having a full tour of the gallery beforehand, now however, they would be lucky to even be able to remove their coats before being ushered out in front of the elite group of university students.

"We're going to be so late." Annabelle’s mother muttered, not really talking to anyone but herself. She strained her neck to see past the driver and look out the front window. They were five cars behind the car stopped at the lights, and she groaned at the thought of being stuck at the same lights for a third time.

"Relax, mom. You've already called the professor who arranged the whole thing. They know how bad traffic is and they've said that it'll be fine to be a little late." Annabelle gave her mom a sympathetic smile as she squeezed her hand. "I know you hate being late but it's not your fault. We left in plenty of time, it's just unfortunate that the weather is so bad."

"I know, sweetheart. It's just this means a lot to me. It's the first time I've been to the gallery and I wanted to make a good impression. Today is really important, I wasn't going to say anything," she took a deep breath and looked directly in to her daughters eyes. "But I've been offered a position at the gallery."

Annabelle was shocked. This was the first time her mother had mentioned anything about being offered a new job. She knew that, years ago, her mom had applied for countless jobs all around England but was never offered one. It was her dream to move to the capital, away from the States, but after being denied so many times she settled for accepting a job as assistant lecturer at Harvard. It wasn't what she wanted but she loved it all the same.

"Wow, mom... that's brilliant! I'm so happy for you." She went to lean over for a hug but was restricted by her seat belt. Seeing this, Gabriella removed her own and scooted up to her daughter and wrapped her in her arms.

"Thank you, sweetheart. I was going to see how things go today and then talk to you about it fully later before making a decision. It would mean moving her and, because you'd only be seventeen, you'd have to come with me. I wouldn't do anything that you weren't happy or comfortable with."

"Are you kidding me?" She pushed her mom away to see her face and grinned at her. "Of course I'd come. It's freaking London! I was on the fence about applying to go to college here instead of back home anyway."

Gabriella beamed at her. "Oh, Anna, I'm so pleased you said that. The head of the gallery, the one that's offered me the job, will be there. I'll tell him that I'm accepting his offer as soon as I'm finished with the talk. We're moving baby, we're finally moving!"

They gripped each other in another fierce hug, both with tear laced eyes. Their taxi had moved forward again, and they were now stopped as the first car at the lights. Annabelle held her mom’s hand as they imagined what their new life in London would be like, how different it would be from living in the States. The light changed from red to amber and the driver moved the car forward as the light finally changed to green. As the passed over the centre of the road, Annabelle saw out the corner of her eye something that made her stomach twist and time stop. A double decker bus had braked too late, causing it to swerve uncontrollably in to their path.

The bus hit the driver’s side, causing the car to spin violently before flipping over a few times before finally skidding the length of the road on its hood. The driver had been rendered unconscious seconds after impact, leaving both mother and daughter screaming in the back as the car spun. It wasn't until the car finally flipped, sending Annabelle’s head crashing in to the side that she too was knocked out, blood pouring from a deep gash over her eye.

"An-Anna-belle..."

Gabriella was barely able to gasp her daughter’s name before violently coughing up a puddle of blood. The sound, however, seemed to draw Annabelle back in to consciousness. She watched helplessly as her mother gave one final, small smile up at her before seeing the life drain from her eyes. Annabelle tried to scream but she couldn't. No sound came from her open mouth. Blood seeped from her cheek in to her eyes as she hung upside down, still attached to her seat, the seatbelt cutting in to her stomach, chest and shoulder from her weight trying to drag her down. She was forced to stare at her mother’s broken body for what felt like hours before she could finally hear the sounds of the emergency services coming to get her out.

It took almost an hour to cut her from the car safely. She was silent the entire time, not making a sound regardless of how much pain she was in. Annabelle had been forced to hang there and watch as her mother died right before her eyes, knowing that there was nothing she or anyone could do to save her. Annabelle couldn't be sure if she stayed fully awake as she was moved from the car and taken to hospital; one minute she having a brace placed around her neck, the next she was laying under the bright lights of and English hospital.

It took hours before she was able to sit up in her bed, the brace having been removed when it was confirmed to be no damage to her neck or spine. Countless doctors came to talk to her, all wanting to express their deepest sympathy for her loss. Annabelle still couldn't bring herself to talk, simple nodding and turning her head away. She was told that she would need to stay in for a few days; she had a concussion and they needed to get in contact with someone to come and get her. She couldn't even open her mouth to tell them that she had no one apart from the woman who died not two feet from her that morning. They worked it out though and social services were called but she still refused to talk. From what they told her though, they were waiting for her mother’s attorney to contact them with information on a next of kin. He didn't. Instead he flew in from Boston the day after the accident to speak to them directly.

He spoke to them away from the ward she was on, not wanting her to hear, not that she would of - she was too withdrawn in to her own grief to notice anything. She hadn't been allowed to see her mother, they told her it wouldn't be advisable. Annabelle understood though, she knew that her body would be in too much of a state to even be recognisable.

It was after visiting hours when a man dressed in a crisp black suit entered the ward she was on. She knew who he was, having seen him at their house a few times when her mom wanted to arrange legal papers. He sat himself on the uncomfortable chair next to her bed. She didn't acknowledge him until he placed an envelope on the table on wheels over her bed.

"Miss Cooper, my name is Jonathon Russel, I am your mothers attorney. I'm so very sorry for your loss." He spoke softly to her, wanting her to trust him. She gave him a single nod, letting him know to continue. He gestured to the envelope in front of her. "In the event of your mother’s death, I was instructed to give you this and explain to you what will happen next. Do you understand?"

"Yes." He voice came out in a hoarse whisper, having not spoken in over twenty-four hours. The man lent over to the table and poured her a glass of water. "Thanks."

"I'll leave this with you and be back soon, I have a few phone calls to make. Is that okay?" She knew he was trying not to push her, and for that she was grateful. She wasn't entirely sure she was ready to read the letter her mother had wrote to her, it was obviously important, given that it was to be given to her after her mother died. All Annabelle could do was nod and wait for the man to leave before slowly picking up the envelope, pain rebounding through her body as her bruised ribs protested. Carefully, she ripped the seal and pulled out the folded sheets of paper. She recognised her mother’s handwriting immediately and for the first time since waking up in the car, she let herself cry while reading.

_My darling Annabelle,_

_There are only two reasons as to why you will have received this letter; either I have died, or you have turned eighteen. I hope it's the latter, it will offer me the opportunity to fully explain the circumstances I will divulge in this letter. If I'm still there with you, I will answer any questions you have and express to you how sorry I am for keeping this from you for so long._

_I feel it's time to tell you about your father - your biological father. I'm sorry I waited for so long before telling you, but I felt that it was in yours - and everyone’s - best interests if you didn't know until this point. With the information I'm about to give you, I hope you will be able to understand why I've waited until now, and that you'll be able to forgive me._

_Let me start by saying that you remind me so much of him; smart, funny and you have his eyes - I know you've always wondered. Between us, it wasn't a whirlwind romance, we were something like high school sweethearts, just without the high school. We met by chance when we were fourteen, just before he was sent to boarding school. We kept in touch and would see each other when he returned home. He was my first love, and as much as I loved your step-father, your real father has always been the love of my life. I found out I was pregnant with you just over two months in to the pregnancy. It came as a shock and I was excited but also terrified. He was accepted in to MIT during our relationship, going on to graduate at the tender age of seventeen. I was barely eighteen when I gave birth to you. I was scared to tell him, I didn't want to jeopardise his chances of becoming the great person he is today. I had decided to tell him at Christmas that year but just a week before he was hit with the devastation of both his parents being killed in a car accident. It was a truly dreadful time for him and in the aftermath he changed._

_He became distant and turned to alcohol to help him get through the day. It became clear to me that he wasn't capable of coping with being a father to you - even with the help of his father’s staff he still couldn't take care of himself. It tore me apart to make the decision to leave him, I couldn't stay with him any longer and I admit that I was selfish with leaving him when he needed me the most, but I had to protect you, to put your needs before anyone else’s. We moved away, and I didn't see him again. It wasn't hard to keep track of him, what with his face plastered all over the media day in day out. He never tried to contact me. I doubt he even realised that I left, though I don't entirely blame him considering what was thrown upon him after his parents deaths. A part of me always hoped that he would find me, but he never did, but I never tried to get back in touch with him either._

_You were born, and I didn't fill in the fathers section of your birth certificate. I didn't want to gather media coverage over your birth - no doubt the hospital would have leaked the information. I also didn't want him to feel as though he had to be a part of your life. Yes, he was your father and he should, but he had so much going on and he was under so much stress I thought it was best not to tell him._

_I married your step-father when you were five. You know the story - we'd been together two years and he took you on as his own. You knew he wasn't your father, yet you looked up to him as one, never questioning the truth. I waited for the day when you would ask about your real father, but it never came. You had Alan, you never needed the man who helped create you. To this day I still haven't told either of you about the other. Again selfish of me but it remains to be for the best. His personality, his fame, his work is just not the environment a child needs by choice._

_If you are reading this at the age of eighteen, you will be old enough to decide for yourself whether you want to get in touch with him - I won't stop you. I don't want you to feel that I'm keeping you from him, I 'll help you find him - not that he's exactly hard to find. I will support you in any decision you decide to make._

_In the event that you are reading this upon my death, a letter will automatically be sent to him informing him that you are his daughter. Please understand that I have done this because you will have no family left to take care of you if I died. His letter will explain everything, and I can only hope he will accept you in to his life - even if it is only until you're of age. I hate to think that you're being forced upon each other, but I want to ensure you're safe and will be looked after._

_Now it's the time for me to tell you your father’s name, no doubt you'll have had a few ideas while reading this. His name is Anthony Edward 'Tony' Stark. It may be a little hard for you to believe but it's true. I may have never outwardly told you the truth, but I would never lie about something so important. Your middle name - Maria - was his mother’s name. I chose it to keep a part of him connected to you, and because she was like a second mother to me. The day she died it hurt me to, and I wanted to pay tribute to the woman who would never get to meet her granddaughter._

_I hope that I'll be given the opportunity to explain this to you in person, but if not, I hope that I have given you enough of an explanation to understand._

_I love you with all my heart, baby girl._

_Mom._

Annabelle cried like she would have when she was a baby. She finally had a name for her father and while her mother had been right in saying that she had never asked, it wasn't because she didn't want to know, it was because she feared rejection from him. She always thought that he wasn't in her life because he hadn't wanted to be, but now she knew that that wasn't the case.  _He didn't know._  She cried harder at the thought that her mother wouldn't be able to explain herself, but she understood, she just wished that she could talk to her mom about it all.

Jonathon Russel came back on to the ward half an hour later. He noticed her tear stained face but made no comment, instead he sat back in the chair and waited five minutes before speaking.

"I've spoken to my partner; Mr Ferguson and he has hand delivered Mr Starks letter to him. Unfortunately all we can do now is wait until I have confirmation on what will happen next. I know you might feel that it's too early to discuss this, but your mother had a plan in place for when she died. I will make all the arrangements for when you're able to return to the States and then we can discuss the matter of her will." Annabelle nodded staring back at the letter she was now rereading. Her mom had gone through with her everything she wanted, so it wasn't new to her, she just didn't know what the hell she was supposed to do now. "I have arranged with the nurses here for it to be okay for me to come back later or tomorrow to discuss what happens next. Goodbye, Miss Cooper." 

He walked away leaving Annabelle dreading the thought of what will happen next.


	2. Chapter 2

The sun was shining high over Tony Starks cliff side Malibu mansion. The heat was at that year’s peak but the air conditioning from within the house offered Tony's girlfriend of three years, Pepper, a refreshing comfort. It had been two months since he had declared her CEO of his beloved  _Stark Industries_  and she was finally getting around to completing all the necessary paperwork to make it official. She was just adding her signature and scanning her fingerprint when there was an almighty crash from the workshop in the basement of the house, sending Pepper flying down the stairs to see what happened.

She came to a stop when her path was blocked by a sea of glass that once belonged in the door and windows that lined the entrance way to the workshop. Grateful that she had kept her shoes on, she tentatively stepped over the threshold, groaning as the glass crunched underneath her feet and headed to the man-shaped dent in the wall. There, at the bottom of the gap, upside down, laid Tony encased in his newest creation of  _Iron Man_  suits. The face plate popped off and he gave his girlfriend a sloppy grin as he tried to pull himself up.

"Anthony Stark, one of these days your brilliance is going to kill you."

It took a few seconds, but Tony finally made it in to a standing position - even if he did have to grip on to the wall behind him for stability. Pepper was glaring at him, though he detected the faintest hint of a smile playing on her lips as the suit opened up and he stumbled out of it.

"So, you admit that I'm brilliant?"

"Mm-hmm." She gave him a smirk and he pulled her in for a kiss. They stayed there together for a few seconds before being interrupted.

"Sir." JARVIS, Tony’s AI's strong British voice vibrated off the walls. "You have visitors at the door."

Both Tony and Pepper eyed one another, confused as to why someone was at their door. Neither had arranged for anyone to specifically come to the house. They had a rule, between the two of them, that unless it was Rhodey or any other close friends, no one was to come to the Malibu house, especially uninvited. They agreed that it was the one place that would completely be theirs - no business or personal meetings, everything was to be arranged to happen at Stark Tower in New York regardless of the terms. Warning bells rang through Tony’s head as he pondered why someone would dare come to the house, specifically when it was common knowledge the house was strictly off limits.

"JARVIS, pull up the security feed from the front of the house." They both turned to face the nearest monitor and watched as the face of a man they both recognised as Andrew Grayson appeared on the screen. "What the hell is my attorney doing here?"

"What on  _Earth_ have you done now? And who is that with him?" Pepper whispered from beside him, earning herself a glare.

"Would you like me to run facial recognition, Sir?"

"Yes."

They waited patiently as JARVIS worked on finding out who the mystery man was. Whatever the two men wanted, it must be important. They were barely stood there for a minute when JARVIS pulled up all the relevant information on the mystery man.

"Sir, I have identified the man to be a Mr Donald Ferguson of Ferguson and Russel - a law firm based in Boston."

"Let them in, JARVIS." He turned to Pepper before gripping her hand and pulling her with him. "Let's go see what they want."

When they arrived upstairs, the two men were waiting for them in the open plan lounge. They both stood staring at the view through the large, full length windows with their backs towards the stairs Tony and Pepper appeared from. The two were too engrossed in their whispered conversation to notice the billionaire and his girlfriend walking up behind them until Tony cleared his throat. The two ceased their conversation and spun round, both with a grave expression upon his face.

"Mr Stark, I'm sorry to intrude. I understand you have an express wish that no one is to visit but I'm afraid this matter cannot wait the time it would take to arrange a meeting in New York." The faded English voice of his attorney was filled with a desperation for him to understand and not argue the matter, something of which confused Tony to no end. Tony was about to question the elder man when the younger of the two voiced his opinion.

"Perhaps this matter would be best discussed in private?" Ferguson gave a pointed look at Pepper, who was deeply offended. Nevertheless, she nodded, gave Tony a quick peck on the cheek and went to pull her hand away from his but he stopped her, tightening his grip.

"No." His voice was sharp and forceful, stunning the other three in the room. "I don't care who you are, new guy, but you don't get to decided what gets discussed in front of who, I do. Anything you have to discuss with me can be done so in front of Pepper. We have no secrets in our relationship."

Pepper and Grayson both gave a smirk in Fergusons direction, who now had a red tinge to his cheeks. Tony gestured for the men to take a seat on one of the couches, with he and Pepper sitting on the other. It was evident that Grayson wished to have this meeting off to a start as quickly as possible because he started speaking before the couple were even ale to make themselves comfortable.

"You're a very busy man, Mr Stark, and it's more than my jobs worth to keep you longer than I have to. I was approached at my office two ago by Mr Ferguson here; one of his firm’s clients, a Mrs Gabriella Cooper instructed either himself of his partner to deliver a letter to you upon her death. Sadly, Mrs Cooper died this morning in London, which is why we are here now." Ferguson stood and handed a single white envelope to Tony, but he made no attempt to move to take it. Pepper, however, did.

"Sorry, he doesn't like to be handed things." She smiled at the lawyer as he backed away and returned to his seat.

Tony racked his brain for a recollection of a woman by that name but came up empty. Of course, that could easily be down to her being one of his many,  _many_  drunken flings and he'd simply just been too far gone to have any memory of the nights events. He gave a look to Pepper, silently asking if she had any idea who the woman they were talking about was - she kept better tabs on the names of his long list of one-night stands. Unfortunately though, Pepper gave a small shake of her head and wore the same confused expression as he did.

"I don't know anyone named Gabriella Cooper. Are you sure you have the right Tony Stark? Though I wasn't aware there was one." He couldn't help but smile, though he stopped when Pepper rolled her eyes.

"Forgive me, Mr Stark." The grey-haired man, who was long beyond retirement seemed reluctant to continue. "Cooper was her married name. At the time you knew her, her name was Gabriella...  _Wilde_."

Tony felt as though someone had punched a hole through his chest and squeezed his heart. His breathing became shallow and he was barely able to whisper "Gabbie?"

The aged man before him nodded sadly, knowing full well Tony now remembered exactly who the woman was.

"She's  _dead_?"

"I'm afraid so."

"How?"

"Car accident. A bus lost control and drove straight in to the car she was travelling in at the time. She died at the scene." Upon hearing this, Tony shot out his seat and headed to the bar at the end of the room. Tears sprang to his eyes as he downed a generous amount of scotch straight from the bottle, not bothering with his usual glass or ice. Pepper made to follow him, but Grayson stopped her with a wave of his hand. After a few minutes, Tony re-joined the group with watery eyes which startled Pepper.

"Tony... what's going on? No secrets." She couldn't keep the worry out of her voice as she lowered her voice and laid her hand over his.

He waited a minute before taking a deep breath, turning to her and spoke slowly, making she could hear every word.

"She - Gabriella - was my first girlfriend. In fact, other than you Pep, she was the only real girlfriend I've had. We were together from when were fourteen until the beginning of nineteen ninety-two, about a month after my parents deaths the previous December." He paused to let what he said sink in, watching Peppers face as she processed the information. " She left me mid-January and I didn't hear from her again. To be honest, I was so messed up and under so much stress at the time that it took me far too long to realise she wasn't there anymore. Jarvis filled me in on what had happened during my grief filled haze, told me that, after she'd found me choking on my own vomit, she wouldn't be coming back. I didn't even try to find her once I'd sorted myself out. I wanted to, but I stopped myself. I was hurt that she'd left me, but I was far more ashamed that I'd shut her out and pushed her away to the point where she didn't want me in her life. Pepper, this is the reason why I was for all those years, terrified of getting too involved and then causing pain when things got too much."

Pepper had tears in her own eyes when Tony finished talking, not because she was upset or angry with him, but rather because she realised how hurt he had been and how bad he felt for the way he was. She knew that the shock of finding out that the first woman he ever loved had died and he'd never gotten to see her again was affecting him far more than he would ever say.

"Mr Stark, I understand that you must be in shock, but it is with the utmost importance that you read the letter before we discuss with you a request Mrs Cooper had." Grayson gestured to the envelope laying by the side of Pepper on the couch. "Ms Potts, could I trouble you for a drink?"

It was evident to Pepper that the man thought it was best Tony was left to read the letter alone - clearly he had gotten some idea from Ferguson what it contained.

"Of course, if you'd both follow me to the kitchen." She placed a kiss to Tony’s cheek and led the two men to another part of the house, leaving Tony staring at the envelope as if it would burst in to flames. He had no idea what he was about to read, what he was about to discover. If he had, he might had poured himself another drink before beginning to read.

_Tony,_

_It's been so long since we last spoke that I'm terrified to write this. It deeply saddens me that you'll only receive this in the event of my death, but it was the choice I made and my own doing. I just hope that you take the time to read through this and understand before making any decisions._

_You wouldn't be blamed for hating me; I left you to deal with your parents deaths alone. I'm truly sorry for any additional hurt I caused you, but it was better, easier, for me to do so. Please understand that we were both so young and you had so much thrown upon you that I was scared you wouldn't be able to cope._

_A few days before your parents were killed, I discovered I was pregnant. I was excited and scared at the same time. We were both in school, you were at MIT, I didn't want it to hinder your chances of being the great man you are today, Nevertheless, I was going to tell you that Christmas, but of course, a week before your parents were killed and things changed. You withdrew from me, I don't blame you for it, but it made it difficult for me to believe that we could be a family. You found comfort at the bottom of a bottle and I couldn't get you out of it, so I made the decision to remove myself from you to protect our daughter. I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you, but I couldn't have our child raised in that environment._

_My family moved away, and I gave birth to our daughter: Annabelle Maria Wilde, though her surname is now Cooper. She weighed 7lb 9oz and was born June 5th, 1992 at two minutes past one in the morning. Your mother’s death affected me to, Tony, and I felt it was only right for her name to be a part of our daughters. She's grown up to be just like you; funny, highly intelligent with a love of business. She doesn't know it's in her genes, but she wants to open her own company, she doesn't know what company, but she knows she wants one._

_You not being a part of her life is due to no fault of your own, it's mine and I'm under the belief that had you of known, you would have been there for her every single day. I ask you to do that now, Tony. The two of us have no family, my parents both succumbed to illness, as did Annabelle’s step-father. The thought of leaving her alone kills me inside and all I ask is that you care for her until she comes of age. Seeing as this letter comes to you after my death, take this as the last wish of the dead woman you once loved - take care of our daughter. It's my doing that you have no relationship with her and for that I am truly, truly sorry but that is something I can't take back and undo, but you can. You can be a father to her now, please. I know in my heart that you will, and I know that you will come to love her as I do._

_I understand that this will have come to a shock to you, and that it's the least you would have expected in a letter from me. My attorney already has a document of legal guardianship drawn up in case of this situation, and I can only hope that you agree to sign, for Annabelle’s sake. She has been without you for so many years, but I know deep down that she will want to know you, I hope you can return that._

_I never did stop loving you, Tony, it was just easier to love you from afar than to love you by your side._

_Gabbie._

Of all the things the letter could have told him, he never would have expected it to be that he had a child - a  _daughter_. In the seventeen years since Gabbie had been gone, he had never once suspected that he'd had been living without the knowledge that he had a child. His own flesh and blood had been brought up not knowing him and the saddest thing of all - he didn't even blame Gabbie for doing it. He had been a mess, unstable, in no position to care for a baby. He understood now, the true reason why she'd left. He looked at the date of his daughter’s birth and realised that her birthday was four days from now. A horrible feeling washing over him as he read that she had no family left. If that was true, and her mother was in London then wouldn't she be with her?

"No..."

If Tony could have run any faster to the kitchen he would have. He failed to stop in time and crashed in to the door frame, causing Pepper to scream and drop the mug she held.

"Tony, what the he-"

He cut her off by talking directly to the two men who seemed to know everything on the matter. "Was anyone else with Gabbie in the car?"

Grayson and Ferguson glanced at each other before the younger man took the reins on the conversation.

"Her daughter. She's currently in a London hospital. I'm told she has bruised ribs, a concussion and a few lacerations over her face and arms, nothing too serious though. Mrs Cooper wasn't wearing her seat belt at the time, but her daughter was."

"Oh, thank God." Tony felt his body relax slightly at the news that the daughter he'd never met, but felt instantly protective over, was relatively okay after being in the same accident that killed her mother. "Does she know...?"

Ferguson shook his head. and checked his watch. "My partner should be arriving in London within the next couple of hours. He's spoken to social services and will be meeting them at the hospital and he'll be passing her letter over in person."

"Right." So his daughter still know she was his daughter. He knew what he should do, knew that it was the right thing to do but hell, was the prospect of doing it terrifying. He leaned against the door frame and placed his head in his hands. Pepper stood beside him seconds later, her face clearly showing that she had no idea what was going on now. He handed her the letter, signalling that she should read it. He waited, head still hidden, for her to finish. He heard her gasps and her whispered disbeliefs. Finally, after five minutes, he felt a hand on his shoulder and found Peppers bright eyes searching for his. He wanted her approval, but regardless of what Pepper thought, he already knew what he was going to do.

"I'll support you, Tony. She'll need you. Go and get her." She spoke in a strong whisper and it was strange but, in that moment, he realised that he loved Pepper more than he ever thought he had. He gripped her in a tight embrace before turning to both his and Gabbie’s attorneys.

"Gabbie mentioned that the documents for legal guardianship has already been drawn up. I'd like to sign it before going to London. Pep, will you -"

"I'll pack you a bag and arrange for your jet to take you to London. I'll have everything sorted for you within an hour, ninety minutes at. I know Happy has a few days off, but I'll get him back here to go with you. I'm going to stay here, it will be better you going alone. Plus someone needs to be here to get the house ready for the arrival of a teenage girl." She walked away towards their bedroom, leaving the three men in awe of her efficiency.

Tony led the men back to the lounge, offering them seats closest to the moderately size coffee table. Having legal guardianship signed over to him was a lot more complicated than he would have managed. Gabriella seemed to have thought of everything. She'd signed any and all papers saying that it was her wish for Tony to take Annabelle in if something were to happen to her. There was also the matter of him taking control over two separate bank account (one which Annabelle would have access to at eighteen, the other twenty-one), the same with the house Gabriella owned, which would be transferred in to Annabelle's name when she turned eighteen. Initially, Tony thought that Annabelle should at least have a say in whether she wanted these things now or later, but in the end decided that if this was Gabriella’s wish, then he should honour it. It took them little over an hour for all the paperwork to be signed, copies made for all three of the men. Tony was sure to make it very clear to both Grayson and Ferguson that if word of any of what was revealed today was somehow released to the press before he had a chance to speak with his daughter, he would personally make sure they were finished. Ferguson laughed, not realising how serious Tony was being but Grayson nodded and continued packing away his things, leaving Tony to glare at the younger man.

Pepper returned to the lounge ten minutes after the suited men departed. She wheeled the simple black suitcase he used for short trips behind her. As soon as she reached him, he pulled her in to a hug, kissing the top of her head.

"Everything is gonna change, Pep. She might not even wanna know me. How am I gonna cope? I don't know how to be a dad."

"Tony." She pulled away from him enough to be able to see his face. "Tell me honestly - did you make your decision to take her in before or after I told you I'd support you?"

He sighed. "Before."

"There you go. I can see it in you already - you love her, and you haven't even met her. You were willing to live up to your responsibilities regardless of whether I was by your side or not, doesn't that tell you anything?"

She was right, but that didn't stop the feeling of panic wash over him. What if Annabelle didn't want his as a father? What if she refused to come back with him? He was legally her guardian now but if it came down to it, could he really force the nearly seventeen-year-old to do something she really didn't want to do?

Three hours after signing the guardianship papers and two hours after leaving Pepper in charge of organising the house, Tony, Happy across from him, waited for the okay to take off. Pepper had skimmed the details to Happy when she'd demanded his presence on Tony’s trip. Happy hadn't questioned him on it, and for that Tony was grateful, though he would probably tell him everything at some point during the flight. Ferguson had called ten minutes after they'd arrived at the airport to inform him that his partner had arrived at the hospital and Annabelle would be receiving her letter soon. Tony had instructed him to not tell Mr Russel of his decision until Tony landed in the UK himself, wanting Annabelle to have time to think over everything properly before he entered her life.

One of his usual flight attendants, a busty blonde who he didn't even give a second glance at anymore, came over to inform the pair that they would be taking off in five minutes. Happy thanked her before Tony thanked him. He was glad Pepper had convinced Happy to come with him, he didn't think he'd be able to cope with doing this completely alone. Happy had all the details of where they would be staying during their stay and the hospital Annabelle was currently at.

They took off after a few minutes and just over ten hours later, they landed on the tarmac of a private London airport, Tony feeling unbearably nervous.

 


	3. Chapter 3

When Annabelle awoke in the early hours of the morning of June third, two days before her seventeenth birthday, she had never felt so alone in her entire life. Her mother and step-father were both dead, never coming back to her, the same with her grandparents. When Alan had died, his family decided that they no longer wanted anything more to do with Annabelle and her mother, claiming that 'they weren't really  _family_ '. Even thought it had hurt at the time, it happened to suit the two just fine - neither having got on with the Cooper family particularly well but they both doted on Alan. No, the only person Annabelle had left was Tony Stark - her biological father. That was, of course, if he wanted her.

Annabelle wasn't holding out much hope that Stark would accept her in his life. Like her mother’s letter had stated, his face had been plastered all over the media for years, and Annabelle had seen and read all the stories about the billionaire, and to be perfectly honest, she hated the thought of that lifestyle. She didn't understand how someone could party, get drunk and make a fool of themselves every night, yet manage to get away with everything. Yes,  _Stark Industries_  was one of the biggest tech companies in the world, but surely the man’s behaviour brought  _some_  negativity to his business? Jonathon Russel had told her yesterday that Stark had already been informed that he had a daughter and that he would either be back to speak to her that evening or today. Considering that the man already had all the relevant information, yet she'd heard nothing more from Russel, told Annabelle that she was most likely  _not_  being taken in by her long-lost father.

She couldn't exactly blame him. He had a company to run (though it had been reported in the news that he'd handed the reins over to someone else, who had yet to be named). He was finally in a somewhat stable relationship with Pepper Potts, the only woman ever known to tame the billionaire playboy. Annabelle entering his life might just jeopardise everything he's worked hard to achieve. There was also the teeny tiny little detail that he was  _freaking Iron Man_! How could he be responsible for her when he was off protecting the world from threats every weekend? However much she thought about it, she found that these facts didn't entirely stop her wanting him to agree. She longed to feel wanted again, ached to know that someone wanted to take care of her, have her in their life. Even though she didn't exactly get along with her step-family, being cut off from them at eleven years old had made her feel abandoned. Even though her mom didn't die by choice, her death brought her the same feeling of abandonment she had almost six years ago. As Annabelle laid in her hospital bed she realised that she would have to come to terms with the fact that, however much she was now finding herself craving a relationship with her father, it was not going to happen.

Annabelle found herself unable to sleep for more than twenty minutes at a time over the next five hours. She was far too anxious about Russel's visit to sleep any more than she had. The nurse came around at seven and offered her breakfast, she was hungry but found herself refusing food and only asking for something to drink. She knew that with how nervous she was feeling, eating was a very,  _very_  bad idea.

By the time her watch told her it was nine in the morning, Annabelle had been told she would be discharged that afternoon. The thought terrified her. Leaving the hospital meant leaving England and going back to the States, going back to the States meant burying her mother and burying her mother meant... the possibility of being completely alone. She wasn't sure what would happen to her if Stark didn't agree to take her in., most likely place her in the system for the next year. The prospect of that was almost enough to make her hyperventilate - no one wanted to get lost in the system. The same nurse who offered her breakfast helped her change from the hospital gown she was wearing to a spare pair of scrubs as she was finding it difficult to do it alone with her bruised ribs. The clothes she had been wearing the day of the accident had had to be cut away from her upon admission and, seeing as she didn't have anyone who could get her any, scrubs would have to do.

At half past nine the nurse who had been caring for her returned to the ward, accompanied by Jonathon Russel. Annabelle felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach as the two approached her bed. She couldn't read the expression on his face; she was hoping to be able to decipher whether he was bringing good or bad news to give herself a few seconds to prepare. Her palms became sweaty as she waited anxiously for Russel and the nurse to finish their conversation. Annabelle tried to focus her attention on the glass of water sitting in front of her and after a minute or so, she noticed Russel standing patiently at the end of her bed, waiting for her to look up.

"Good morning, Miss Cooper. How are you feeling?" His tone was light and friendly - was that a good sign?

"I'm okay, just a little uncomfortable." Annabelle didn't want to tell him how she was feeling about everything, it wasn't like he had any control over the outcome. He didn't speak again, instead he opened his briefcase and started digging around for the correct paperwork. Annabelle couldn't stand the silence any longer and cleared her throat.

"Would you like to sit down? Whatever you have to say is probably going to take a while." She tried to give him a small smile but found herself unable to do so. He, however, gave her a grin and sat in the vacant chair, placing his briefcase on his lap with the papers on top.

"I'm sorry I didn't return yesterday, but I was asked not to. Upon receiving his letter from your mother, Mr Stark spent the following hours signing the necessary paperwork to become your legal guardian." He paused to give Annabelle time to digest what he had just said. She didn't trust herself to speak, not entirely believing what she was being told. "From what my partner told me when I spoke to him, Mr Stark signed the papers without argument. He also showed great concern about your current welfare. From what I understand, he was more than willing to do what your mother wished for him to. Miss Cooper, are you understanding what I'm telling you?"

She nodded but it took her a minute or two to verbally answer. "I'm going to live with Tony Stark." It wasn't a question but a statement. All that worrying she had done for the past half a day had seemingly been for nothing. She was finally going to meet her father, a man she always thought never wanted to know her. Tears had sprung to her eyes when Russel told her Stark signed the papers without complaint. All she could think of was that someone wanted her,  _he_ wanted her.

"How does this work then? Do I fly out to him or do I have to wait until he comes to get me? Because I'm getting discharged this afternoon."

Russel smiled at her again. "Let me explain further, Miss Cooper. I didn't return to speak to you yesterday because my partner had been instructed  _not_  to tell me of Mr Starks decision until after he'd arrived and settled himself in London. Mr Stark believed that you would need some time to adjust to the fact that he was your father. He flew in yesterday and I was summoned to speak with him before doing so with you again. By the time we finished finalising all the details my partner hadn't, it was far too later to come and see you again, hence why I'm here early today. Miss Cooper, are you alright?"

It was safe to say Annabelle was in shock. Not only had her biological father taken custody of her within hours of discovering of her existence, he'd flown straight out to London to see her. From everything she'd learnt about him in the media, she never thought that he'd drop everything to come and meet her. She took a moment to wonder what Pepper Potts' thoughts on the situation were. Had Tony told her? Had she been okay with his long-lost daughter coming to live with them in the house they shared as a couple? Her throat became suddenly dry - Annabelle didn't want to be the reason for the breakdown of a good, potentially lasting relationship.

"Miss Cooper?" Russel’s' voice snapped her back to the present, away from her thoughts. She gave him a quick glance before reaching for her glass of water, draining it in two large gulps, the cool liquid soothing her throat. She finally managed to give him a nod and a look that lasted longer than a second.

"I'm... I don't know, in shock? I mean, he's actually here already?"

"Yes, he is?"

"Oh my God." At his confirmation, it dawned on Annabelle that she wasn't as ready for this as she thought. So much was happening in such a short space of time and it was overwhelming her to the point she started to feel that she was suffocating. "This is all happening so fast. Two days ago I had a mother but was fatherless. Yesterday I was parent-less and now today the tables have completely turned and I have a father but I'm motherless. How am I supposed to cope with this? I didn't realise it before but so much has to change.  _Everything_  has to change..."

Russel looked at her, his face filled with pure sympathy. He really and truly felt for the girl in front of him. She was going through so much at the moment and all he could do was give her all the information she needed. He didn't know what he could say to help her get through this, but he knew that only time could help her. He was glad, however, that Stark had stepped up, Annabelle needed someone in her life. Gabriella Cooper had been introduced to his law firm by a close friend, who also happened to be Fergusons wife. The two had dealt with Mrs Coopers affairs for years, the same with her late husband. Neither, however, had met with their clients daughter, Mrs Cooper having always kept her away. He let the young girl ramble away with her fears before smiling gently at her.

"Miss Cooper, I know that this may all be a little too much for you, but I assure you that no one expects this to all figure itself out so soon. It will take time, yes, but things will get easier." He inched his chair closer to the bed, placing his elbows on his knees and leaning forward, removing his professional demeanour. "Mr Stark has the same fears as you."

That made Annabelle’s head shoot up. "What?"

"When we spoke yesterday, he expressed the same fears as you. He vowed to end me if I mentioned this to anyone but seeing as you too are struggling, I'm prepared to take the chance. He doesn't know what to expect from any of this. He found out that he has a daughter, one who is nearing seventeen, and he knows nothing. This is unfamiliar territory for him and he's terrified of making a mistake. I must say, he seemed a very different man to the one you see on TV and in the newspapers."

Annabelle stared. So Stark was scared to? She thought he'd be all confident about the whole thing, adamant that he knew what to do and how to deal with everything but now it was clear that she was wrong. Could they get through this together?

"Where is he now?"

"Currently in the family waiting room." Russel straightened himself up and went back to acting like the lawyer he was. "He's been speaking with the nurses about your care, so he knows what you should be avoiding. They're allowing him to see you on the ward even though visiting isn't for another few hours, and you're getting discharged in to his care but if you don't feel ready to meet him, I'm sure something can be arranged."

Annabelle took a minute to think about what she wanted. He not only was in London, but he was actually at the hospital waiting for her. It made her heart swell knowing that she still had someone. She wanted to meet him, she really did but the thought not only scared her, but it upset her. She couldn't help but feel that having her father in her life meant that she was forgetting her mother and all that she'd done for her. She couldn't not meet him though, he'd come all this way... and she didn't exactly have a choice considering the circumstances.

"When... when will he be allowed in?"

"That, Miss Cooper, depends on you." Russel gave her another small smile before placing his gaze on the papers before him. She glanced at the upside-down document though she wasn't able to make out the words but guessed it was something to do with her mother. She gave everything one last thought before pushing herself up further up on the bed and sitting cross-legged. She took a deep breath before focused her attention back on the man.

"I think I'm ready... if he is."

Russel gave her a quick nod before gesturing to the papers he had resting on his briefcase.

"I'll check that for you, but I believe he is. First, I have to ask, would you rather discuss your mothers will now, when your father is in here or when you get back to the states?"

Annabelle thought about it for a moment before answering. "Honestly, I think I need some time, could we maybe arrange something for when I'm back home? It will be better."

"Of course, if you wish, I will contact you again when you have return home, but I'll give you a week or two to settle in to your new environment, I dare say this is all a bit too much to comprehend at once. I will have a letter sent to your new address, or would you rather I contact Mr Stark's attorney?" He gathered the papers and placed them back in his briefcase as he spoke before standing up to straighten his suit and staring down at her.

"Um, both?" She didn't know what would be best, she'd never had to deal with anything this like this before, but she guessed it would be better to cover all bases.

Russel nodded. "As you wish. Once again, Miss Cooper, I'm sorry for your loss, and that we had to meet under such terrible circumstances. I'll see you in a few weeks and I'll have a nurse bring Mr Stark in to you. Until we meet again, Miss Cooper." He held out a hand to her and she took it, giving it a quick shake before releasing it. He left her seated on the bed and walked towards the end of the ward, calling over the same nurse as earlier. She watched him go, nerves settling in again.

* * *

 

Tony was drawing attention to himself while he sat in the waiting room for three reasons. One - he was wearing his sunglasses  _inside_. It was not uncommon for him to do this back home, but normally it was customary to remove such things when entering a building. Two - he was using one of the latest prototypes of Stark technology cell phones, currently unavailable in the States and so unlike anything those in the London hospital had ever seen before. The third reason was Happy. He was sitting one place down from Tony and happened to be accessing every single person who passed the billionaire, sometimes getting up to move between Tony and the stranger if they happened to hang around for too long.

They'd been in the waiting room for the past hour and a half, first speaking to the Doctor treating Annabelle, then again with Mr Russel and now counting down until Tony would finally meet his daughter. Tony had finally filled Happy in about everything when they'd settled themselves in to their hotel suite. Happy, though completely and utterly shocked to the point where he couldn't initially speak, agreed wholeheartedly to help in any way he could, an act that earned him a rare hug and sincere thanks. From his seat, Happy was still in the process of scrutinising the hospital staff and other visitors, causing enough whispers to draw Tony’s attention away from his cell.

"I'm surprised anyone still dares to enter the room with you in here. That look of yours is enough to scare any one." There was a notable smirk on his face as he rounded on his friend.

"I take that as a compliment. You never know, anyone of these people could pose a threat, and say I let my guard down, who knows what could happen."

"I can always defend myself, you know."

Happy stifled a laugh. "I'd like to see you try without the suit, it's the only way you can protect yourself."

"I resent that comment."

They lapsed back in to silence with slight smiles on their faces, both feeling the pent-up tension ease slightly at their banter. Tony didn't return to messing around with his cell, instead he started to check his watch every minute or so, as if it would hurry time along if he did so. By coincidence, it worked, because not five minutes later, Mr Russel entered the room, followed closely by one of the nurses who worked on Annabelle’s ward.

"Mr Stark, she's ready to meet you." Tony’s breathing hitched slightly, and his heart began to beat that little bit faster. It was time, it was finally time to meet his long-lost daughter. "She's extremely nervous, and terrified, about what happens next, so please tread carefully, she has expressed that she's feeling the weight of everything happening at once."

Tony nodded, and they shook hands before the suit-cladded man left. The young nurse smiled kindly at Tony and gestured for him to follow her. Before stepping out the door, he turned to Happy, who had stood to join him.

"After you, boss."


	4. Chapter 4

"After you, Boss."

Tony nodded to Happy and turned on his heel, marching up to catch the nurse. He still had few minutes at most to mull over everything before they reached the ward. Was he pleased that Annabelle was ready to meet him? Yes! But hell was he nervous. He didn't know what to expect from his first encounter with his daughter. Would she hate him for not being there for her from the beginning? There was a good chance that she would, and he wouldn't blame her for it, he just hoped she would understand that it hadn't actually been his fault. He knew, from Russel, that she too was nervous but also overwhelmed about the whole thing and he didn't want to make things worse. Unfortunately, Anthony Stark had a habit of putting his foot in his mouth and say the wrong thing. At this moment in time, he was beyond glad that Pepper had asked Happy to abandon his plans and come with him; although the man was on his payroll, he considered him to be more of a friend than an employee.

The nurse led them along a corridor, pausing briefly to point a visitor in the right direction. According to Tony estimation, they had been walking for ninety-two seconds, though it could easily have been an hour. Finally, the trio came to a stop outside a pair of large double doors. The nurse, who had informed them that her name was Caroline Taxx, used the hand sanitiser positioned on the wall to their right and gestured they do the same - which they did. Nurse Taxx turned to the two men and smiled.

"Miss Cooper is in bed four, by the window. She's still in a vulnerable state and I think it would be best if I introduce you. Would that be okay?" Tony nodded, and she continued, her British accent rebounding off the walls. "Okay then. I didn't quite catch your friends name, Mr Stark. I assume you'll both be entering the ward, Mr...?"

"Happy. His name is Happy, and yes, he'll be joining us."

Tony turned to smile at Happy, who grinned unashamedly back at the billionaire. The truth was, Happy was well and truly looking forward to meeting his boss' long lost daughter. In all the time Happy had worked for Tony, he had never known the business man to drop everything for a woman, hell  _anybody_ , other than Pepper but he'd been shocked and pleasantly surprised that he'd done just that for the daughter he had only just found out about. Pepper had instructed Happy to be at Annabelle's full disposal, and, more importantly, keep Tony from doing anything stupid that he'd be likely to regret.

"Very well then, if you'd like to follow me." Nurse Taxx punched in the code for the door then wrenched it open, allowing the two men to follow her in. Tony instantly scanned the large room looking for bed four, Happy doing the same thing and they both spotted it at the same time. Happy pointed and while they waited for the nurse to take them over, Tony took the time to observe the girl sitting on the bed. He faltered slightly when he caught sight of her face - she was the spitting image of her mother. Granted, he hadn't seen Gabriella in years and no doubt her appearance had changed, but the girl in the bed looked exactly as she had at seventeen.

She was uncomfortable, he could tell but the way she was sitting. He didn't like the thought of her being in any sort of pain, physical or emotional - he'd been in enough of his own to cover for everyone he knew. He didn't need to be told by anyone that she was nervous, that much was evident by her constant fidgeting. Tony was never one to give free hugs (except for Pepper) but he the urge to walk straight over to his daughter and wrap her in his arms and tell her everything would be alright.

It took Tony a few seconds to realise Annabelle was staring intently back at him. He couldn't tell what she was thinking but she wasn't looking away, that had to be a good sign, right? He gave her a heartfelt smile and his stomach started to turn as he waited for her to respond. It settled down though, a few seconds later, when she returned his with a hesitant smile of her own.

* * *

 

It had been almost ten minutes since Russel had left Annabelle alone with her thoughts. She'd managed to go over all the worst-case scenarios in her head, each one causing her to freak out that little bit more. What if he took one look at her and decided that he couldn't hack being a dad? What if they got back to the States  _then_  decided he couldn't hack being a dad? What if Pepper Potts didn't like her and Tony chooses his girlfriend over his daughter? No matter how hard she tried to push the thoughts away, they kept coming back in full force.

Annabelle hated the fact that she had to do this alone. Her mother should be with her, holding her hand as she waited for her birth father to appear. She hated the thought that it could all go wrong and she would have no one to fall back on. Tony Stark was the only person left in her world. Sure, she had friends, but it wasn't the same, they were back in Boston and she would be going to live in Malibu, California.

She couldn't help her hands twitching in her lap, it had always been a nervous habit of hers. Her mother would constant run her hands through her hair whenever she was nervous. Annabelle had never been good at meeting new people, preferring to stand silently in the background and hopefully not draw attention to herself. Most of the time it worked, but, like today, there was nothing she could do to avoid it. The twitching wasn't entirely down to nerves either, she felt uncomfortable in the way she looked to. Her mother had always brought her up to look her best, even if she were only meeting friends in the park. She dreaded to think what her mom would be like if she could see her now, dressed in hospital scrubs with her hair a mess. She wanted to smile at the thought but stopped herself at the last moment, realising that her mom  _should_  and never would again be there to scold her for being less presentable than usual.

Annabelle wasn't sure whether it was the sound of the double doors opening or the movement she could see out of the corner of her eye that caused her to look up. Her breath hitched in her throat as she caught sight of the man she'd only ever seen on screen or on paper. He was standing next to another man, one that she had seen him being escorted by. She couldn't remember his name, that was even if she'd ever known it, but he had a kind expression upon his face. Not smiling but... almost. Tony was studying her, she knew he was. Was he seeing whether she looked worthy enough to be his daughter? Her heart fell when she thought this. She wasn't good enough, she knew it. But, just as she felt herself tear up slightly, he sent a smile her way. It wasn't the smile her used in interviews, or the sarcastic smile he normally sent peoples way but a true smile, one she truly believed she'd never seen him give before. Suddenly, she felt some of her nerves slip away slightly and she sent him her own, hesitant smile.

She thought she could see him breathe a sigh of relief at her response, like he expected her to glare at him or something. He turned to his... bodyguard? Was that what he was? And said something to him. Annabelle couldn't hear him, nor could she read his lips, but whatever he said made the other man grin and laugh - that she heard.

Nurse Tax started walking towards her, a polite smile upon her face as the two men followed behind her. Annabelle felt her palms begin to sweat but tried not to think too much of it. Tony didn't take his focus off her, and nor did she, until the nurse stopped directly in front of her bed.

"Miss Cooper, this is Mr Stark and his friend... Happy. Would you like me to close the curtains whilst you talk?"

Annabelle nodded and thanked her before returning her gaze to the billionaire standing in front of her. She couldn't see his eyes because, like whenever he appeared in public, he had his thick sunglasses shielding a good portion of his face.

"I trust you all understand that these are not strictly visiting hours, so I must ask you to please be respectful of the other patients on the ward. I'll leave you to it." She drew the curtains closed behind her and left the three of them gazing silently at each other in the confines.

No one was quite sure what to say. Both Annabelle and Tony seemed unable to form a single word and Happy didn't really know whether he should be there or not. After five full minutes of truly awkward silence, Happy was finally the first one to speak.

"Miss Cooper, I was wondering if you'd eaten anything this morning?"

His question seemed to shock both the girl in the bed and the man standing slightly to her left. Tony turn to Happy, raising his eyebrows but Happy stood his ground with an amused expression. Annabelle wasn't sure whether she should answer truthfully or not. But, in the end, she decided to be honest.

"Um... no, I haven't. I wasn't all that hungry." Tony tilted his head at her and she could see the worry in his eyes and she couldn't help but smile on the inside at his concern.

"Well neither has he." He jabbed his thumb at Tony and frowned at him, knowing exactly what he was doing and while he appreciated it, he was annoyed that Happy was trying to force them to talk when clearly both of them was as unsure as the other. "So I'll go and get you something, anything it particular that you would want?"

Annabelle widened her eyes in surprise, she could see why he was called Happy, the guy was just... happy.

"Oh, um, anything with blueberries would be nice, and an orange juice please." She turned back to Tony when she heard him chuckle and saw he had an ear to ear grin spread across his face. She didn't know why he did, but it made her smile to.

"Coming right up, I'll be back in a bit boss."

"I'm sure you will, I'm sure you will." It was the first time since stepping within hearing distance that Tony had spoken. Happy gave a bark of laughter before patting Tony on the shoulder, giving Annabelle and smile and leaving through the curtains.

For the first time in his life, Tony didn't know how to approach a woman, and Annabelle could clearly see that. At first it made her chuckle but then the reality of the situation set in - he didn't know how to speak to his own  _daughter_. It was something everyone was supposed to do, but not him, not Tony Stark. The silence was making Annabelle feel very uneasy, having never been in a situation like this before, and she knew Tony could sense this because every few seconds he would open his mouth to speak, only to close it again straight after. Finally, almost four minutes after Happy left, Annabelle broke the silence.

"Please sit down. This is really hard and... I guess we have a lot to talk about..." She waited for a response, a reaction but she didn't get one for almost a minute. He was just smiling sadly at her, but she could see he was building up the courage to actually talk to her.

"Sorry, I -" Tony stopped himself, unsure of how she would take his comment. He cleared his throat before continuing. "You look unbelievingly like your mother."

The dam broke. It was one thing to hear it from everyone who had ever said it, but to hear it from the man who fathered her, who had never seen her, nor seen her mother in over seventeen years, was something entirely different. Annabelle heaved great sobs in to her hands as she tried to control herself. But it wasn't only because he said it, it was because it happened to be the first time it had been voiced since her mother’s death. Tony, who regretted saying it almost instantly, didn't know what the hell to do. He had just reduced his daughter to tears with a simple comment, one that was supposed to be a compliment. It took him no more than ten seconds to inched towards her and wrap her in his arms. She tensed at the contact but eventually relaxed in to him, understanding that he wouldn't move until she did.

"I'm sorry... I didn't how it would affect you. I'm so, so sorry." His words words held layers upon layers of apologies, and they both knew it. She nodded against his chest and he released her, but sat on the edge of the bed, taking her hand.

"I miss her, so much that it hurts."

"I understand the feeling."

A silence was left between them, but not the same as the one before. They hadn't said much to each other but somehow, it was enough.

"Annabelle," he started, his voice forcing her to look at him. "I've never done this before, but I'm willing to try. I wish I had been told from the beginning, got to be there every step of the way but I understand why your mom thought against it. I was in no state to hold responsibility for myself, let alone you. Hell, if it wasn't for Pepper, and Happy now I think about it, I doubt I would be as stable as I am now. But I want to get to know you, be the father I should have been. I want you to know that I will do everything in my power to help you get through this."

"Thank you." She meant it. In all the interviews she had actually watched, she didn't think he’d ever sounded as sincere as he did right now. A smile creeped to her lips, but the sorrow in her heart still didn't allow for it to fully form. At the moment, she doubted it ever would. "I was so scared you would reject me. All my life I have wondered who my father was, but I never asked because I feared being told I wasn't wanted. I know now that you knew nothing about me, that you didn't know I existed, and while that is still hard to fully grasp, I will never hold it against you because I know it wasn't your fault. But I also don't blame my mom, she had her reasons and I respect that."

"Your mom has raised you well." He smiled at her as she let the comment sink in. Her mom had been the best mom a girl could hope for, and she'd like to think her mom would be proud of her. "I can honestly say I doubt you would have turned out as well as you did if your upbringing had had my input."

They chuckled lightly together as the thought of Peppers reaction burned in the back of her mind. She was scared, terrified to ask, but she needed to know. She needed to leave here knowing whether her existence would or wouldn't be the ending of a great relationship.

"Um... T-" Did she call him Tony or dad? She had called Alan 'dad' because to her, he what just that. Tony knew what she was must be thinking because he squeezed her hand when she had been silent for too long.

"I don't expect you to jump right in and accept me as who I am supposed to be. Calling me 'Tony' is fine."

"Thanks." She smiled her small again, that was a weight off her chest. For someone who appears to be such an asshole on TV, he's surprisingly a really nice guy. "What does... what does Ms Potts think about all this?"

He had not been expecting that. Of all the things she could have said, that she could have been worrying about, a question about Pepper was not one he thought he would be hearing.

"She's... she can't wait to meet you." He watched her eyes widen in surprise. "She's back home, getting the house ready for you. She's supportive of everything. You look... relieved. Why were you so worried what Pepper thought?"

"Because..." Now how should she word it. "I... was worried. I didn't want to be the reason to the end of the only stable relationship you've had. I didn't want it to, if it  _had_  to, come down to you choosing between me and her."

"It would be you."

"What?"

"It would be you. I may have only met you today. I may have only  _known_  about you for the past few days. But, trust me when I say that if  _anyone_  asked me to choose between them or you, I wouldn't hesitate to choose you in a heartbeat."

Annabelle was speechless. This was something she never expected. She could feel tears steadily building in her eyes again and it was only a matter of time before they started to fall. Tony Stark was a  _very_ different man in person to the one depicted by the media.

"Why?" It was a whisper, so quiet because she couldn't trust that she wanted to actually ask the question.

"Because you're my daughter and I loved you the moment I found out about you, no one will ever get in the way of that."


	5. Chapter 5

Annabelle couldn't control the tears that continued to stream down her cheeks at his confession. Never, in her wildest dreams, would she have thought he'd say something like that to her. In all honesty, she had expected it to take months, years even, for him to admit that he thought of her in the way a father should. That was, if he was to  _ever_  admit it. Tony was staring at her, his eyes willing her to believe everything he had said to be true, because it was. Every word he had spoken since meeting her was one hundred percent true. He wanted,  _needed_ , her to understand that, from now on, she would always come first to everyone and everything.

Tony wrapped his arms around her once again, wanting to comfort her in the only way he could at that moment. Annabelle rested her head against his chest, savouring the closeness she was so terrified she'd end up losing. He rubbed soothing circles on her back as she cried it out against him, not even flinching at the fact she was leaving salty tear marks on his expensive suit. He would buy another if it was ruined, he was good for it; comforting his hurting daughter was far more important. It took a few minutes for Annabelle to calm down enough to compose herself. Tony released her and inched back slightly on the bed, but he stayed close enough to be able to hold her hand. She gripped on to him as if her life depended on it.

Annabelle wiped her eyes with the back of her free hand before she looked back up at Tony. He still had the pleading look in his eyes.

"Trust that I'm in this for the long haul, please. I know I've missed out on far too much but there's so much more that I can be a part of, if you let me." He stroked over her knuckles with his thumb, something her mother used to do when someone was upset. Annabelle wondered whether Tony knew this, and the unformed question must have shown on her face because he answered it. "Your mom used to do this with me. Every time I had an argument with my dad, she'd take my hand and do this. I was never great at talking things through – I'm still not – but she would sit with me for hours holding my hand and comforting me until I relaxed."

Annabelle nodded up at Tony’s smiling face. It felt nice hearing a story about her mom from years ago. There had never been many people in her life to tell her them. She wanted to hear more but that could wait for another time, another day. They had a lot to discuss before they started sharing stories.

"I think I believe you." Tony’s face fell slightly, and Annabelle gently squeezed his hand to reassure him. "You've given me no reason not to believe you but it's just a lot to take in. This is new for both of us and I'm still getting my head around the fact that the great Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, is my dad. In person, you seem so different to the guy you see on TV."

Tony grimaced slightly. "I am that guy, but just not as much as I used to be, not since Pep. But, I don't want to be that guy around you, Annabelle. You don't deserve that, you deserve better than it."

"You shouldn't have to change," her voice had lowered to just above a mumble. "Not because I've suddenly come in to your life."

"Hey," he tilted her chin up with his free hand. "I'm glad you did. I just wish it could have been sooner, and under happier circumstances. I'm determined to make this work, and to do that I will make changes and I'll do that for  _you_. I want you to be happy."

She gave him a small smile. "Knowing I'm wanted is all I need to be happy."

Tony could feel his throat slowly start to constrict and pressure begin to build in his nose. He willed away the tears that were threatening to form. Annabelle was so concerned about not be wanted and Tony didn't know why. It broke away at his heart to realise at some point in her life someone hadn't wanted her, and he hoped to it wasn't because of him. Could it be? Or had something else happened during her nearly seventeen years on earth? He was determined to find out what, but he wouldn't dig just yet... he would wait to see if she felt comfortable enough with him to volunteer the information, if not... he would just have to find out for himself.

"I'll make you as happy as I can, Annabelle. I'll do everything in my power to. Your mom wanted me to look after you and keep you safe, and I intend to do just that."

She nodded. "She still loved you, you know. She loved my step-dad, but it was always you, she said so in the letter she left me." Her hand shot up to immediately wipe away fresh tears and the thought of her mother’s letter.

"It's the same for me." He found he could no longer look at her, talking about Gabriella with their daughter was far harder than he could have thought, made even more so by the fact that he never talks about certain things and feelings with anyone, even Pepper.

They settled in to silence again. Tony checked his watch and noticed Happy had been gone for just over half an hour. Noting this, he remembered something about what Annabelle had asked for.

"Happy will be back soon. Blueberries huh?" He smirked slightly, knowing full well she must have gotten her taste for the fruit from him.

"Yeah, mom can't –  _couldn't_  -" She straightened herself up on the bed as best she could, avoiding the look of sympathy Tony was now giving her and hoping she wouldn't break down again. "She couldn't stand them. I don't know why, they're delicious."

Tony nodded enthusiastically. "I agree. She always used to favour strawberries. I remember she never use to eat them without cream though."

Annabelle paled slightly at a memory. Tony noticed but didn't bring it up, in case it was something she didn't want to share. She stayed silent for a few seconds before speaking in a small voice.

"She stopped using cream years ago. Alan – my stepdad – was lactose intolerant. We managed for a while, being careful you know, keeping his and our milk and that separate. One night when I was about seven or eight I think, they went out and left me with a babysitter, who made me dinner. When they came back, Alan fixed us all a bowl of strawberries and cream. He obviously used his dairy free stuff – or so he thought. He ended up in hospital that night because, somehow, the babysitter had managed to switch the labels around on the containers and he used the wrong one. He was really ill and in a lot of pain with his stomach. Me and Mom made the decision to not use dairy when we were in the house after that, so it didn't happen again. Late night snacks weren't the same after."

Tony couldn't help the small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Gabriella always did try and put everyone else's needs before hers, and he expected no less from her daughter. He couldn't image having to give up something for someone he loved, but then again, he'd never been in the position to before. Something about the look in Annabelle’s eyes told him that there was a little more to the ending of that story than she was telling him. She seemed to know that he wanted to hear more but speaking about that dark period of her life would be just as hard as speaking about the events of a few days ago.

"I must have been eight..." Her voice was still quiet as she started to explain. "Now that I think about it, because I was eight when Alan was diagnosed with cancer, and it was that trip to the emergency room that led doctors to discover it."

"Annabelle," Tony placed his hand over her hand again. Her eyes her once more filling with tears and he didn't want her to go through the wheels of emotion any more today than she had to. "You don't have to tell me, not today. We have years to talk about everything. Don't feel that you have to tell me this now."

Annabelle nodded. She was relieved, probably more than she actually realised. Talking about losing Alan had always been hard, because she had loved him so much, and his death had not been quick or peaceful. They both turned their heads as they heard the ward doors open and the distinct voice of Happy returning with their breakfast.

Tony shifted uncomfortably but didn't actually move from his position on the bed. Annabelle had pretty much figured out that he wasn't overly fond of people seeing him as anything other than his media persona – Happy included. Though, when Happy pulled back the curtain and took a look at her face, she realised that Tony was only uncomfortable because he knew his friend would round on him.

"I could only get – what the  _hell_  did you do now?" Happy placed the boxes of food on the moveable table and took a step towards Tony, who jumped up and raised his hands in surrender.

"Nothing! I don't screw up everything, you know. We were just talking, that's all."

Annabelle watched the exchange between the two closely; it was evident that Tony screwing up something was a regular occurrence. She let out a small, involuntary giggle at the two grown men standing next to her hospital bed. They turned to face her, both pleased to hear a positive sound come from her. Tony grinned while Happy straightened his jacket and smiled lightly at her.

"I know you only wanted something with blueberries, but I thought you could do with something a little more filling. So, you both have scrambled eggs, toast and blueberry muffins." He handed them both their separate bags, along with a styrofoam cup of coffee for Tony and a small bottle of fresh orange juice for Annabelle.

"Thanks." Annabelle took her items with a small smile and nibbled on the end of her toast. She glanced up to find both men staring at her again. "What?"

"You eat like a hamster." Tony said through a large mouthful of eggs.

Annabelle scoffed. "Just because I actually like to taste my food, does not mean I resemble a fluffy little creature. Besides, I'm not all that hungry. You, obviously, don't seem to care whether you choke or not. How can you have finished all that already?"

Tony stared down at his empty container and frowned. "I didn't realise I had." He turned to Happy. "Didn't you get yourself anything?

"I ate on the way back. By the way, Pepper called."

Annabelle stopped mid bite. Tony shot her a concerned look, knowing that she was still unsure about his girlfriend’s reaction. He sat back down on the edge of her bed and gently squeezed her hand. "What did she want?"

Happy turned once again look directly at Annabelle and smiled kindly at her. "To find out if Miss Cooper here is allergic to anything so she knows what to avoid when restocking the kitchen, and to also know what colour she would like her bedroom."

Annabelle gaped at the man before turning to Tony. He was smirking at her. She hadn't fully believed him when he said that Pepper was accepting of his mystery daughter, and it seemed the woman was trying to make every effort to make the young girl feel welcome. Tony nudged her gently with his elbow, prompting her back to the present. She took a minute to finish recovering from the shock and answered Happy in a small voice.

"Oh, um, I'm not allergic to anything."

Happy nodded. "And the colour scheme for your room?"

She gave Tony and embarrassed, sideways look. "There's no need for her to go to the trouble of redecorating just for me." Happy chuckled lightly and Tony rolled his eyes. Annabelle's cheeks went slightly red. "What?"

"Pepper offered to do it. Actually, she told me she was doing it before I left." He took a mouthful of his still too hot coffee, though she noticed he didn't even wince at the heat. "Pep likes redecorating, even if she does complain about having to do it every couple of weeks."

Happy nodded in agreement. "Something you should know about Ms Potts is that, once she has her mind set on something, nothing you can say will stop her. Telling Pepper no is like telling a toddler no... only difference is she doesn't actually scream."

Both men joined together in quiet laughter while Annabelle smiled lightly as she leaned against her pillows. Tony and Pepper were making every effort to accept her and make her feel perfectly welcome. As glad and happy that she wanted to be over the acceptance, the overwhelming sadness that filled her was the more prominent emotion. Her mom would never see her build a relationship with her father. The silence that filled her little curtain partitioned room once again pulled her from her thoughts and she found both of them staring at her.

"Sorry..."

"Is everything okay?" Tony put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close as she shook her head against him.

"I was thinking about my mom." She groaned a little as she rearranged her position on the bed.

"If it's too much, I can call Pep and tell her to stop. You can do it in your own time if that will make you more comfortable?"

Annabelle smile gently up at him. "I just wish she was still here, that's all. She should be here watching me get to know you both. I'm fine with Ms Potts decorating if she really wants to."

"I know, I wish I could've seen her again." He paused before smirking. "So what colour would you like your room?"

* * *

 

The three of them talked for the next two hours, with Annabelle growing to increasingly like Happy. Tony spoke to her more freely, telling her stories from his childhood, and how he met Pepper, but there was still an underlying unease. Happy had stepped outside to call Pepper and relay her lack of allergies and preferred colour choice, only to come back and tell Tony that she was paying the decorators three times the normal rate to get it done in time for their return.

One thing they hadn't discussed, and Annabelle had yet to build the courage to bring up, was when they would be visiting the hotel room she had briefly shared with her mother. She knew, for obvious reasons, that she wouldn't be continuing her stay in London by residing in that room. Without it being said, she knew she would be following Tony to his own hotel without until their flight back to the States, whenever that may be. She had to retrieve hers and her mother’s belongings from their room. It would need to be the first thing they do once she was discharged – she needed a decent change of clothes. It would be beyond difficult to pack up her mom’s things, but it was only right that she did it herself... she couldn't let someone else do it.

After a while, Annabelle found herself glancing over at Tony every so often, each time noticing the prominent similarities between them both. Their eyes were the same shape, even down to the little 'pinches' in the corners and were the identical shade of brown. She got most of her looks from her mother and, as far as she knew, her mother’s side of the family. She couldn't remember ever seeing pictures of Tony’s parents before, so had no way of knowing if she resembled her paternal grandparents.

Happy excused himself to use the restroom five minutes later and promised to enquire when the doctor would be round to see her. Tony waited long enough to ensure Happy left the ward before turning to Annabelle.

"There's something you want to ask."

"How did you -?"

Tony smiled. "You've been looking up at me for ages... and your brow pinches together when you're thinking of how to say something. Your moms used to do the same."

It was true, it was something her mom used to do when she was stuck on how to word a question or work out how to say something as to not make a situation worse. Annabelle had never realised it was something she too did. Her mom had never mentioned it.

"I'm being discharged this afternoon." She cast her gaze downwards.

"I know." He reached over and poured them both a small cup of water from the jug on table in front of them. "You're worried, I understand."

She shook her head, he didn't. "It's not just that. I – I have to go back to the hotel, mine and my mom’s things are still there."

Realisation dawned on his face. "Right... well, I could always send Happy?"

"No." It was loudest she'd spoken since the accident, but she couldn't help it. Tony sat a little shocked at her outburst but made no move to say anything. He didn't want to make things worse. "Sorry... it's just. I want -  _need_  - to pack my mom’s things. She wouldn't want anyone else going through her stuff. She always packed her own bag, she'd even hate me for doing it for her."

Tony nodded, he understand perfectly well where she was coming from; it was a natural instinct to want to pack her mom’s things herself. He wouldn't deny her that, not after he'd been denied it himself. The death of his parents had hit Tony hard, hard enough for him to hit the bottle. In the following months, he was in such a drunken stupor that Obadiah Stane took it upon himself to do it, robbing Tony of the chance to keep the things they treasured, (he realised, last year, that he had an ulterior motive in doing so). This was something his daughter had to do herself and in her own time.

"Are you sure you're ready? There's no rush."

Annabelle smiled sadly at him. "I don't think I'll ever be truly ready, but I don't have a choice, it has to be done. Besides, the rooms only booked until the day after my birthday."

"Don't worry about that." Annabelle raised an eyebrow questioningly. "I can arrange for it to be yours for as long as you need it."

Annabelle thought about it. Did she need more time before going back there? Probably, but that didn't mean she was going to ask for it. She'd spent a few days in hospital now and, in that time, decided she wanted to go home, leave London and it's terrible memories behind. The memories would never actually go, but she knew being away from the place where her mother was killed would help her. There was another reason to; she wasn't about to ask Tony to spend a small fortune on paying for a hotel room she wouldn't even use, not after only meeting him for the first time a couple of hours ago. She shook her head to Tony.

"No, thank you, I just want to leave. I need to."

Tony nodded in agreement and they returned to silence. Annabelle’s eyes started to feel heavy as she leaned back against her pillows. Not sleeping well the night before was finally catching up with her, and where her pillows had been hard and lumpy majority of the night, they were now soft, comfortable and inviting. She closed her eyes against the harsh lights above her and hummed lightly in content as she began to slip in to a slumber/ She faintly heard Tony chuckle to himself as she fell in to a deeper sleep.

"Sleep, Annabelle."


	6. Chapter 6

By the time Happy returned, a little under ten minutes after Annabelle had fallen asleep, Tony had moved to the chair by the side of her bed and was leaning back in it, watching his daughter sleep. She was as, if not more, beautiful than her mother. Even after seventeen years, Tony could still remember every feature of Gabriella's in detail, and he was amazed to find them now reflected in their daughter. He couldn't believe the situation he found himself in, Annabelle to; major changes were happening. Happy stood at the edge of the curtain partition, not wanting to disturb either of them, but Tony beckoned him forward, gesturing that he sit in the remaining chair at the foot of the bed.

They continued to sit in silence for a few minutes, Tony wanting a little more time to observe his daughter before the two men started discussing their plans for the following few days. Happy checked the time on his watch before yawning – it had been a long morning and jet lag was a bitch. Tony, noticing this, lent forward, placed his elbows on his knees and rubbed his eyes.

"Did you find out when the consultant would be round?" He whispered softly, trying his best not to wake Annabelle.

"Yeah," said Happy, equally as quiet, leaning forward and closing the distance between them. "She said she'd be round in about half an hour to forty-five minutes, seeing another patient or two first."

Tong sighed and nodded towards the sleeping teenager. "She's a lot like her mother, but a lot like me to. It's... strange."

"She has half your DNA, of course she's gonna look like you." Happy gave Tony a sideways smirk. "Poor girl."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Ha ha." He took a moment to think over everything they had spoken about that morning. He pinched the bridge of his nose and muttered, more to himself than to Happy. "She's worrying about everything a lot more than she's letting on, how could she not be? What if I can't do this? What if I fail her and she hates me for it?"

His last question  _was_  directed at Happy, who looked to his boss sympathetically. He patted him lightly on the shoulder before pointing to the sleeping girl on the bed. "When have you ever given up on something without giving it one hundred and ten percent first? You're her dad. You're her only family, you have no choice but to be the best that you can. She won't hate you for trying."

"I'm terrified," Tony murmured, barely audible but Happy still caught it. He wasn't completely able to keep the look of shock from his face – Tony very rarely divulged his feelings to anyone other than Pepper, and even then he sometimes didn't tell her much. He waited patiently for Tony to continue. "She's told me a little of her life; she's insecure and petrified of being rejected and left alone. I want to see if she tells me why before I get JARVIS to look in to her life. I don't want to say or do something that's going to bring what's causing it to the surface and upset her."

"Trial and error, Tony, trial and error. It's gonna be hard, and it's gonna be weird at first, but you'll both get through this." Happy leaned back in his chair, looking serious but there was a small smile playing on his lips. "And if you do mess this up – not that I'm saying you will – but if you do, me, Pepper and Rhodey will be there to help."

Tony stared at Happy's grinning face, nodding slowly and relaxing a little, but not completely. Annabelle's need to be wanted was worrying, along with her comments over his relationship with Pepper. He would need to do everything in his power to give her the emotional support she needed in the coming weeks. To Tony, the emotional recluse, the thought was daunting.

Happy's cell beeped loudly from his pocket, causing Annabelle to flinch in her sleep. Happy whispered an apology as he pulled out his cell while Tony glared at him with a look that could cut glass.

"It's Max." Happy read through the text from their pilot. "He wants to know when you plan on heading back to California."

Tony sighed, his eye back on Annabelle; she was moving restlessly, and he guessed it wouldn't be long before she wakes. He considered the question but knew that, ultimately, it would be down to Annabelle. He nodded towards her. "It depends on Annabelle; whether her doctor says it's okay to fly, if she's emotionally ready to leave. She wants to, but... I... I just don't know. I need to make arrangements for Gabbie."

Happy nodded solemnly, having momentarily forgotten that Annabelle's mom would be making her final trip with them. "I can do-"

"No." Tony cut him off, his tone soft and remorseful. "I'll do it. I want to see her."

"Is that wise, Tony?" Happy was uncertain; she'd been killed in a car accident after all, would she even be recognisable?

"I don't care," said Tony, standing up and straightening his jacket. "If she wakes or the doctor comes, call me... just tell her I'm sorting out the flight home."

Tony left before Happy could say anything to stop him. He re-closed the curtains and took a deep bracing breath before strolling over to the nurses station. Nurse Taxx was chatting to another of the wards nurses. The man, who Tony guessed as being no older than twenty-three and wearing more make-up than any woman in the hospital, was gaping open-mouthed at him as he approached the desk. Tony gave the both of them a bright smile.

"Can either of you point me in the direction of the morgue?"

Both nurses exchanged a look, knowing the circumstances under which the American was there. They had both, in turn and together, attended to Annabelle when she first arrived and had had to explain to the poor girl that she wouldn't be able to see her mother, owing to her age and how bad she looked. Nurse Taxx stood and motioned Tony to follow her.

"I'll take you, if you'd like to follow me?"

Tony nodded and followed her off the ward. She led him back through the double doors and down the same hall as earlier that morning. They travelled down in the elevator to one of the lower floors. Where, regardless of his relationship with Pepper, Tony would offer up some harmless flirtation, he just couldn't bring himself to do it in light of current circumstances. They travelled down to the morgue mostly in silence, with Nurse Taxx offering up a one-sided conversation. She didn't blame him for not being up for idle chit chat, she thought she'd probably be the same if the tables were turned and she was in his position.

They reached the morgue two minutes later, with Tony hesitating at the entrance. Nurse Taxx had offered to accompany him inside but he'd politely refused, saying that she had a ward to maintain. Tony wasn't sure they would even let him see Gabbie; he wasn't family – he was the estranged father of her daughter, but he had to try... he had to say goodbye. He buzzed the intercom, getting a response a few seconds later.

" _Morgue, how may I help_?"

Tony grimaced. "My..." What did he say Gabbie was; ex-girlfriend, mother of his child, all of the above? "My daughters mom was killed in a car accident a few days ago. She hasn't been formally identified – I'd like to do that."

" _Of course. Can I have her name please?_

"Gabriella Cooper"

" _And yours?_ "

"Tony Stark."

" _Thank you, Mr Stark. Someone will be with you in a moment._ "

"Thank you."

It wasn't often Tony Stark felt as though he couldn't do something but, unfortunately, standing outside the doors to a London hospital morgue was one of those times. It had also been almost a year since Tony last suffered a panic attack, but he felt as though his chest was starting to constrict and the walls around him were caving in. He braced himself against the wall, forcing himself to take deep, steadying breaths to control his rapid breathing. It worked, and by the time the door opened in front of him, he was perfectly composed once again.

A petite brunette in her forties was the one who opened the door. She smiled at Tony and beckoned him forward. "Mr Stark? My names Sarah." She held out her hand and he shook it, before stuffing his hands in his pants pockets. "I have to warn you, Mrs Cooper sustained multiple injuries to her face and neck in the accident, and you may find, at first, that she might not be recognisable. You can spend as much time with her as you need, one of my colleagues will be in the room with you if you have any questions."

Tony merely nodded, he was more focused on keeping his breathing under control. Sarah led him through the door she'd came out from and down along the hall before coming to a stop outside one of the viewing rooms. There was a large glass window, a thick dark velvet curtain blocking the room behind from view. He thought, for a moment, that he would only get to see Gabbie through the window, but Sarah keyed in a code to open the door, leading him through. There was a single table, a crisp white sheet covering the body laying underneath from head to toe. They came to a stop at the side of the table, Tony standing one side with Sarah the other. She grasped the corners of the sheet before looking up at him.

"Are you ready, Mr Stark?"

He nodded, and she pulled back the sheet to reveal the woman underneath. Tony didn't flinch, take a step back nor move at all. In fact, he stood frozen on the spot. It didn't matter that he hadn't seen Gabbie in over seventeen years; she hadn't changed a bit. He saw right past the deep gash lining the right side of her face, and the scattered cuts that covered her left cheek, and saw the woman that had been his girlfriend all those years ago. She looked as though she could have been sleeping, and for a fleeting moment, Tony expected her eyes to open, and for her to smile up at him. But she didn't... and he was left staring down at her fixed, expression free face.

"Gabbie." He whispered, moving forward to be closer to her.

Sarah gave him a sympathetic smile and moved to his side. "Mr Stark, I'm sorry to have to ask, but can you confirm for me if this woman is indeed Gabriella Cooper?"

"Yes, she is." Tony turned to Sarah. "When can she be released? I need to arrange for her to be flown home."

"We have a funeral home on standby for arrangements to be made as soon as possible. I can have you sign the paperwork now, if that's what you want?"

"Please."

Sarah left him standing alone next to his former girlfriend. Tony didn't notice the man entering the room (he kept a respectable distance to give Tony the privacy he needed), instead he focused all his attention on the woman laid in front of him.

"Gabbie, I -" Tony faltered, his throat constricting with emotion he hadn't felt before. He moved closer to the table, only stopping when he felt his thighs press against the metal bar. "I wish you'd told me. I know and understand why you didn't, but I wish I'd known. I wish I'd tried to find you. I should never have let you slip away from me so easily. I should have been better,  _stronger_ , for you... for you both."

He noticed now that one of her hands had been left exposed. Hesitantly, he reached forward to lay his own over it, only to flinch back when he touched her skin. He wasn't stupid, he had known she wasn't going to be warm, but he hadn't expected her to be  _that_  cold. He sucked in a deep breath and grasped on to Gabbie's stone cold hand. "Annabelle, she's... God, Gabbie, she's beautiful, a pure mixture of us both. She's more like you than me; she has your personality and kind nature. My mom... my mom would have been honoured to know her only grandchild bears her name. She loved you like you were her own daughter and she would have loved Annabelle to. You did a brilliant job in raising her... and I can't even imagine how I'm supposed to match up to you and... and Alan. She had two loving parents, and I can only be grateful for that. She hasn't told me a lot about him, but I can tell she loved him."

Tony could see the morgue assistant shift uncomfortably, having heard him talking. He lowered his voice to barely even a whisper. "I'm... I'm scared, Gabbie. It's me! I'm Howards son! What if I do as bad a job as he did? What if I fail her like he failed me?"

Tony’s cell chimed in his pocket and he pulled it out to discover Happy was calling. He let his thumb hover over the accept icon for a few seconds, knowing why he was being called but also wanting a little more time with Gabbie. In the end, though, Tony took one last look down at the woman laid on the table before him, bent down and placed the lightest of kisses to the least injured part of her forehead. He nodded to the morgue assistant still standing silently at the back of the room and left, finally pressing his thumb down to answer the cell once he was outside the door.

"What's happening, Hap?"

" _Doc's making her rounds, Annabelle's next on her list."_ Happy paused and Tony could hear shuffling and the phone exchanging hands. The next voice he heard brought a smile to his face.

" _Hey, Tony."_ Annabelle sounded as tired as she did before she had fallen asleep.

"Hey, Kid, how ya feeling?"

" _Tired, like I haven't slept in days. Are you coming back? My doctor will be here soon."_ Tony could hear the want and uncertainty in her voice.

"On my way, Annabelle. You need anything?"

" _Does getting out of here and in to my own clothes count?_ "

Tony laughed quietly. "Soon, Kid. See ya in a few."

" _Bye._ "

Tony hung up the phone and re-pocketed it. He stared at the door he'd closed, wanting to go back in but knowing it wouldn't help in any way and he needed to get back up to Annabelle. Instead, he placed his palm flat against the cold metal door and whispered, "You'll be home soon, Gabbie."

"Mr Stark!"

Tony spun round; Sarah was walking towards him, carrying a small pile of paperwork. He'd forgotten there were things he'd have to sign before heading back upstairs. He gave her the briefest of smiles, wanting this to go as quickly as possible. By the time she reached him, Tony already had his pen slipped out of his pocket and ready in his hand.

"Everything ready for me?"

"Hastings and Sons are the best, I assure you, Mrs Cooper will be well taken care of." She handed over the small pile of papers. "Everything is there, including the release of her personal affects."

Tony now noticed the thick, dark blue plastic bag she was carrying; no doubt these were the things that had been with Gabriella when she died. "Thank you," he said as he took the bag in one hand and placed it by his feet. He quickly, but thoroughly, read through the documents in his hand and signed his pristine signature on the relevant pages. "How long until we can take her home?"

"A day, two at most from when she's moved from here to the funeral home, which should be later today. They'll call you when she's ready for transportation back to America." Sarah smiled sadly and placed a hand on Tony’s arm, but withdrew it instantly when he flinched. "I'm sorry for your loss, Mr Stark."

Tony nodded, handed her back the papers, giving her only a small smile and picked up the bag from beside his feet. "If that's all, I need to get back upstairs to my daughter."

* * *

 

Annabelle handed the phone back to Happy and resettled herself against her pillows. Her ribs were still smarting, but she found the pain manageable without the need for medication. She'd woken from a nightmare soon after Tony had left and begged Happy not to call him. He'd agreed, somewhat reluctantly, though he pressed that Tony wanted to know if she woke. Annabelle didn't need to ask where Tony had gone, she was pretty sure she knew the answer; it didn't take a genius to work out that he'd gone down to identify her mother.

She was secretly glad she hadn't been allowed down to see her. As much as she had wanted to see her mom one last time, she wasn't sure what would have been worse: seeing her mom dead against the roof of the car, or her mom dead laying on a cold, hard metal slab? She will forever have the memory of her mom dying in front of her, it was probably a good thing that she didn't have another to go with it.

It had been five minutes since she'd spoken to Tony when Annabelle glanced at Happy; taking in his crisp black suit and pristine hair and wondered what it was like working with Tony. She already knew that the man had been with Tony for years, and she found herself asking before she could stop herself.

"What's it like, working with him?"

Happy raised an eyebrow. "Tony?"

"Yeah."

Happy seemed to consider the question for a minute before answering, and it made Annabelle worry slightly. "You pretty much feel every emotion working for Tony. Don't get me wrong," he shot her a smile. "Tony's a brilliant man, and he cares about things and people a lot more than he lets on, but  _damn_ , he's hard work."

He chuckled to himself and Annabelle couldn't help but join in. "Would you ever consider leaving him?"

"No." Happy looked her dead in the eye. "There's no one else I'd rather work with; besides, he'd fall apart without me."

Annabelle smiled. "I'd make sure he doesn't hear you say that."

"Make sure who doesn't hear what?"

Tony chose that exact moment to pull back the curtains and alert them to his presence. Happy immediately clamped his mouth shut and Annabelle let out a small giggle.

"Oops, busted."

Tony turned his head between the two. He'd heard what the both of the

m had been saying, and he was glad they seemed to be getting along, but he wasn't going to let them know he'd been listening. "Have I missed something?"

"Not at all." Happy cast a sideways glance at Annabelle, who turned her head away from him, smiling. "We were just... talking."

"Talking?"

"Yep." Their answers came out in sync and Tony grinned.

"Should I be worried?" He placed the bag he'd been holding on the floor and out of Annabelle's sight. He hadn't been quick enough though, because she raised her eyebrow at him, wanting to know but not wanting to ask. Tony couldn't bring himself to tell her what was actually in the bag, and thankfully she didn't bring it up either. She finally answered him after a few seconds delay.

"Not unless you feel you have something to be worried about?"

"No comment."

Happy smirked at the two, noting how much she sounded like Tony. The trio lapsed back in to silence, though there was a little tension coming from the youngest of the group. She'd been analysing Tony since he'd stepped through the curtains and seemed to know that something was bothering him.

"Everything okay, Tony?"

"Fine, Kid." He tried to smile at her. "It's me who should really be asking you that."

"I'm okay." She took a deep breath, and asked the question burning on the tip of her tongue. "Did you... uh..."

She didn't expect tears to silently slip down her cheeks as she struggled to put the words in to a sentence. She closed her eyes and buried her head in her hand, tears slipping through her fingers on to the sheets below as she willed herself to stop. Happy looked to her, sympathy deep in his eyes before standing and placing a hand briefly on Tony's shoulder.

"I'll give you two space. Call me when you need me back."

Tony nodded his appreciation. "Sure. Thanks, Hap."

"Anytime."

Happy left and secured the curtains closed behind him. Annabelle continued to weep quietly in to her hands until Tony took hold of her wrists and pulled them away. He rubbed his thumbs lightly over her knuckles but not saying a word for fear of making things worse. Annabelle calmed herself down after a few minutes, but found she couldn't look at him, instead choosing to stare at her hands still being held by his. Her breath hitched as she started speaking again.

"Did you see my mom?" Her voice was quiet and barely audible.

Tony sighed under his breath before running his thumb over her knuckle once again. "Yeah, yeah I did."

Annabelle nodded. "And how – how did she -"

Tony cut her off by releasing her hands and leaning in for a hug, whispering in her ear. "Don't do it to yourself, Annabelle. You don't need to." She nodded against his shoulder and he felt her relax against him. He kissed the top of her head and said in a murmur, "She looked peaceful."

Annabelle sighed in what he guessed to be relief and she moved back, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Good. Did they say when I can take her home?"

Tony nodded but sighed inwardly; Annabelle seemed to believe that she was alone in this, always referring to having to do everything herself. He hoped that she'd start to accept he was there to help and take care of her soon.

"Couple of days at most. They'll call when she's ready."

Annabelle nodded, and they lapsed back in to silence. Tony handed her the tissue box from the table and she accepted it with a small smile of thanks. The sound of the ward doors opening and voices floating their way caused the both of their heads to shoot up and a nervous look to settle on Annabelle’s face. Tony squeezed hand gently as the curtains behind them were pulled open, and a tall, pale man in a suit and glasses stepped up to the foot of the bed.

"Oh, sorry to interrupt." He placed the file he held in his hand on the table and placed his palms flat next to it while giving them both an apologetic smile. "Miss Cooper, my name's Dr Ashford, I'm one of the consultants on call today."

"Hi." Annabelle shifted on the bed to make herself more comfortable. She gave Tony a quick glance and found him analysing the man before them. She turned back to Dr Ashford. "I thought I was seeing someone else? A Dr..."

"Gordon?" he said kindly and Annabelle nodded. "Unfortunately, she's been called away to an emergency, so I'll have to do? Is that okay?"

"It's fine," Annabelle said quickly. "I just want to get this over with."

"That's understandable." He turned to Tony, seemingly only just remembering he was there. He held out his hand expectantly. "And you are?"

Tony took the outstretched hand and shook it once. "Tony Stark, Annabelle's father."

Annabelle's heart fluttered at the words. It was the first time she'd heard him introduce himself as her father... and she couldn't deny it made her feel warm inside. She couldn't stop the smile forming on her lips as she focused her attention back on the two men. Tony’s hands were now shoved in his pants pockets while Dr Ashford had picked the file back up and was now flicking through it.

"Right," he said, looking up. "Well, Mr Stark, would you mind stepping outside while I examine your daughter?"

Tony took a moment to look once again at Annabelle before answering. "Sure. I'll be right out there if you need me." He jabbed his finger behind him.

Annabelle nodded. "Okay."

Dr Ashford smiled as Tony left and dropped the clipboard back to the table. "Alright then, let's get started."

He spent the next ten minutes checking Annabelle’s wounds, ensuring everything was as it should be. He pressed his fingers lightly to her side before adding more and more pressure until she whimpered in pain and he pulled his hands away with a quick whispered 'sorry'. He continued to write notes in the file after every little thing he did. Annabelle sat through each part of the examination patiently, believing that asking questions would just slow the whole process down. The last thing he did was shine a torch light in each of her eyes and watched her pupils react before writing a final note in the file, closing it and taking a seat in one of the chairs next to her bed.

"Right, your wounds look like they're healing as they should be. While there's nothing we can actually do for your ribs other than medication, you seem to be managing well," he smiled and nodded approvingly as he spoke.

Annabelle shrugged. "It's more uncomfortable than painful. It's not restricting, just a little stiff if I'm in the same place for too long."

"That's good." Dr Ashford's pager went off and he removed it from his pocket, checked it, then replaced it, sighing to himself. "It's possible that they weren't as badly bruised as we first thought. I suspect your concussion feels more like a dull headache now?"

Annabelle thought about it. "I hadn't really noticed to be honest," she said truthfully. "Is that a bad thing?"

Dr Ashford chuckled lightly and checked his watch. "No, it means you're healing, and at a pretty decent rate. If you keep going the way you are, I'd guess you'll be moving around as normal without pain in a matter of two to three weeks."

Annabelle felt her eyes widen at the short time scale; she was sure she'd have trouble for a lot longer than that. "That's good. Will I be able to fly home?"

"I can't see why not," he said as he stood and collected the file. "I will advise that if you get an increased headache, dizziness or nausea, see the nearest doctor as soon as possible."

Annabelle nodded to show she'd taken an understanding of his advice. "Okay, but I can leave today, right?" She knew she sounded impatient but at this point in time, she really didn't care - she was just desperate to leave.

Dr Ashford gave her a strange look, almost as if it were a mixture of sympathy and amusement. "Yes, you can. I'll have a nurse draw up the discharge papers."

"Thank you," Annabelle said, relief washing over her.

"I wish you all the best, Miss Cooper."

He left, and Annabelle leaned back against her pillows, letting a small smile ghost her lips; she would finally be free of the hospital by the end of the day. She could hear Dr Ashford talking to someone (she presumed Tony) outside, and no sooner had she closed her eyes to rest for a while, the billionaire was back beside her bed.

"Hey," he said, taking a seat in the recently vacated chair. "Doc says you're good to go?"

"Yup," Annabelle said with a nod. "Just gotta wait for the paperwork and then I'm outta here. I'll be glad to get out of these and have a decent shower."

"I can always get Happy to go and buy you something?"

Annabelle smiled in thanks but shook her head. "No, it's fine, really. There's no point now anyway."

"If you're sure?" She nodded. "Okay. Listen; do you want to go straight to your hotel, or do you need more time?"

Annabelle closed her eyes against the sudden build-up of tears threatening to fall again. In her desperation to find out whether or not she'd actually be leaving today, she'd momentarily forgotten about going back to the hotel. She opened her eyes and set up, reaching for the bag containing her things and wincing in the process. "I think we should go straight there. To be honest, if I don't get it done now, I'm scared I won't want to, but..." she trailed off, her hands coming to a stop when she failed to find what she was looking for.

"But?" Tony prompted.

"I don't have the room key, mom did. I don't even have her thing, they haven't given them to me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She pulled her knees as far to her chest as she could without being in too much pain.

Tony lowered his eyes from her. Not having the key wouldn't be a problem; a quick explanation to the manager would be enough to get a new one but he knew that wasn't the issue. He glanced down at the plastic bag still at the foot of the bed. The likelihood of the key being in there was high, and now seemed a food a time as any to give the bag to her. He stood as retrieved it, before turning back and placing it in front of her.

"They gave that to me when I went down to see her. I don't know if anything will be missing, and I haven't looked in there either."

Annabelle looked up at him, then down at the bag. With a shaking hand she reached forward and pulled it to her. Inside was a few single, see through plastic bags containing the pieces of jewellery her mom had been wearing. The wedding and engagement rings her mom had still worn, even years after Alan's death, were safely placed together in one tiny bag, while the bracelet that had been on her mom’s wrist for as long as she could remember was in another. She picked up her mom’s watch and tears trickled down her cheeks when she turned it over – the face was cracked, and the hands were no longer moving. She appreciated Tony not trying to talk to her as she went through the bag, but his presence was a comfort, and she was beyond thankful that he'd brought it to her. The last thing in the bag was her mother’s purse, but she made no move to touch it, for the pale blue leather was now stained in dark red blood.

"I – I –  _ca-can't_  -" she stammered out and shoved the bag away from her to the end of the bed, unable to deal with seeing it.

Tony reached forward and took a look, not understanding why she had reacted the way she had, until she saw the starling red against blue. He wrapped the plastic round at the top and tied it shut before sitting on the edge of the bed and pulling Annabelle to him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know what would be in there."

"It's not your fault," she mumbled against his shoulder. "You didn't know."

"We can deal with it later," he said, tightening his hold on her. "Let's just get you out of here."

* * *

 

They waited little over an hour after seeing Dr Ashford for a nurse to bring the discharge papers, and by that time Happy had returned baring lunch for the three of them. Annabelle had discovered a bag containing most of her belongings from the day of the accident in the small cabinet beside her bed. She was going through the bag and making note of whether anything was missing when Nurse Carrol (the nurse Tony had seen at the nurses' station earlier that morning) pulled back the curtains, holding a clipboard in one hand and a plastic bag in the other. Annabelle like him - he was the only one who had tended to her that attempted to engage her in conversation that stemmed away from the fact that she'd lost her mom.

"Afternoon, Annabelle. I have something that's going to make you feel ten times better."

Annabelle sat a little straighter on the bed. Both Happy and Tony noticed how she perked up when the man entered, and Tony took note of his name. Annabelle smiled softly at the nurse.

"And what's that, Sam?"

"Discharge papers!"

He threw his arms up in the air and danced around for a few seconds. Annabelle found herself laughing at him while Happy shook his head disapprovingly and Tony stared grinning at is daughter. He felt as though he was seeing her true self for the first before realising that he was. She had laughed and smiled earlier in the day but there was always something holding her back but now it seemed genuine and carefree. He knew it would be short lived though, and the reality of things would hit her again soon.

"That's highly unprofessional." Happy whispered to him.

Tony rolled his eyes. "So what? She's smiling isn't she, that's all I care about."

"Brilliant." Annabelle's voice snapped them both out of their whispered conversation. Nurse Carrol handed her a prescription form.

"That has on it some spare dressings for the cuts and an antiseptic cream – you've already been shown to use them if you can remember?" Annabelle nodded. "Goody goody. There's also a low dosage, mild painkiller on there to take as needed for your ribs. It'll work for the concussion headache to if need be."

"Thank you, Sam." Annabelle folded the piece of paper and placed it in her purse. "Where's the pharmacy?"

"First floor, take a left at the main reception. You have to pass it on your way out anyway, so you can't miss it." He made a few notes on the discharge papers. "You're flying back home soon, right?"

Annabelle nodded but didn't speak. Tony, instead, stepped next to his daughter and spoke for her. "We'll still be here for a day or two."

"I only ask because you'll need the stitches removed in about eight days’ time. Normally we'd send a letter to your GP, but seeing as you're an international patient, we don't have all your details. So please make sure you remember, I have a copy of your discharge notes for your anyway though."

"I'll remember, don't worry," Annabelle said.

"Excellent." He turned to speak directly to Tony. "Mr Stark, it's an absolute pleasure to meet you. I just need you to sign right here to say Annabelle's being released in to your care."

He handed the clipboard to Tony, who nodded in thanks and signed using the pen from his pocket. Tony handed the clipboard back to Sam, who ripped off two pages and handed one to Annabelle.

"Well, you're free to leave, but I can't say I won't miss you."

Annabelle stood and wrapped Sam in a hug, shocking not only him, but the other two men as well. Sam dropped the clipboard and returned the favour. Annabelle grimaced slightly at the pressure on her ribs but that didn't stop her standing on the tips of her toes to whisper in his ear, her voice now with tears. "Thank you, for everything the last few days."

"Don't start, or you'll set me off and ruin my mascara."

Annabelle laughed as she pulled away. Sam lifted the bag he'd placed on the table. "Here – I thought these would be a little more comfortable for you than me. There's no t-shirt, but you should be fine with the jacket."

Annabelle opened the bag to find a pair of sweats and a matching hooded jacket. "I can't accept there – they're yours."

"Honey," Sam said. "Do I honestly look like the kind of guy who goes around wearing a  _tracksuit_?"

"No?"

"Exactly. Besides, they've been sitting in my locker for the last six months. They might be a little big, but anything is better than scrubs."

"Well, at least my sneakers will go with these."

"You got that right." He gathered up the clipboard and the hospitals copy of the discharge papers. "Safe travels, Sweetheart."

"Bye!"

Sam nodded to the two men as he left, and Annabelle sighed. He was the one and only thing she'd miss about the hospital. Happy nudged Tony who nodded.

"We're gonna stand outside, okay?"

"Sure. I'll come out when I'm done."

They stepped outside while Annabelle changed. Nurse Carrol was now standing beside the nurses' station, writing in a file when Tony decided to go over and speak to him. He held up his hand to Happy, signalling that he wanted him to wait there, before walking over to man who'd been caring for his daughter.

"May I have a word?"

Nurse Carrol almost jumped at Tony appearing behind him. "Of course."

They walked to the corner of the ward, by one of the large windows. Tony smiled at the man. "I have to ask that you refrain from mentioning anything to anyone about the nature of my presence here. I have yet to discuss with Annabelle whether or not she'd like me to release a statement to the press back home."

Nurse Carrol gave a tight smile, and when he spoke, his voice had lost all humour and was instead intensely serious.

"Mr Stark, patient details are confidential and it's more than my jobs worth to divulge  _anything_  to anyone unless I am speaking to one of my colleagues or I have been court ordered to do so." He checked the watch attached to his pocket. "As astounded as I am to have been given the chance to meet you, I have no intension of putting my career on the line or making that girls life harder than it already is."

Tony nodded stiffly. He was relieved that he hadn't had to threaten with guy with his lawyers but only now did he realise how much coming out as being Annabelle’s father could affect her. "Sorry, you know, if I implied -"

"It's fine, you're worried about her, everyone can see it. She's one of the lucky ones." Tony raised an eyebrow. "I was in a similar position as her when I was eight, only I didn't have someone to fall back on, and my mother chose death over me."

Tony didn't know what to say, or how to react to the personal information he'd just been given. He nodded, hoping it would be enough of a response. Thankfully, it seemed to be, because Nurse Carrol looked once again at his watch and made to turn away.

"Take care of her, and yourself."

"I will."

He walked away, leaving Tony standing at the window staring at London’s mid-afternoon skyline. Things were becoming real now. From this point forth Annabelle was his responsibility and the nurse was right in what he meant; his daughter wasn't in this situation by choice. Gabriella gave her a means of survival by leaving the letter for Tony, and as much as he hated losing control, everything that happened now depended on Annabelle. For once in his life, Tony had to put someone else's needs completely before his own... this was his responsibility now.

Tony turned in time to see Annabelle and Happy slowly making their way to him, her arm linked in his. Happy had taken control of the two plastic bags and for that alone Tony would give him a pay rise. Falling in to step beside them, he slipped his arm round her shoulders and said to Happy, "Will you bring the car to the front?"

"Sure thing, Boss." Happy unhooked his arm from Annabelle’s. "See you in a few. Don' take much of what he says seriously, remember; not many people do," he added with a wink.

"Hey!"

Annabelle laughed at the look on Tony’s face as they watched Happy walk away. Tony shook his head and gently led her over to the elevator just beyond the ward doors and jabbed his finger on the 'down' arrow. The doors opened seconds later.

"Shall we?"

* * *

 

Sitting next to her in the car twenty-five minutes later, Tony could feel the tension radiating off Annabelle as they fast approached the hotel she'd shared with her mother. It was the one and only thing left she had to do before she could rest until they made their way back to the States. Happy parked the car outside and Tony jumped out to help Annabelle, linking his arm in hers and guiding her up the stairs. While she'd been collecting her meds, Tony had phoned ahead to the hotel and made the manager aware of what had happened. He settled their outstanding bill and arranged for no one to interrupt them while they were there, so all Annabelle had to worry about was packing hers and her mom’s things.

They stepped in to the lobby, Happy not far behind them, and made their way to the elevator. Her room was on the tenth floor and by the time they reached it, Annabelle was thoroughly exhausted from standing for too long. She noted a trolley for the bags had been left outside the room, ready for them to use. Happy handed her the room key and she could only stare and it, then him. Tony took hold of her hand and squeezed.

"We didn't go through your moms bag; Happy got a spare from the manager. I thought it would be... easier for you."

Annabelle breathed a sigh of relief as she took the card. "Thank you."

She unlocked the door and let it swing open. She took one step and stopped; the room felt cold and strangely empty, even though it wasn't. Tony and Happy stayed by the door, waiting for invitation, and watched her as she moved slowly throughout the room and gathered a few bits here and there. She made to lean down to pull her mom’s suitcase from under the bed and gasped in pain, Tony rushing to her side in an instant.

"Annabelle?" He helped her stand properly before guiding her to the bed.

"I'm fine," she gasped out. "Just forgot I couldn't bend."

"We'll do the lifting, but you sort and pack, okay?"

Annabelle nodded, realising now that she couldn't do it all as planned. Between them, Happy and Tony brought everything to her and laid it out on the bed, Annabelle carefully packing it in her mom’s case. Tears fell silently as she handled each and every item but neither of them made comment, just helped her through the process. When it came to her own things, Annabelle took Happy up on his offer to do it for her. She opted not to change out of the clothes she was wearing, vowing to have a shower and do so when she got to Tony’s suite.

Finally, after nearly two hours of slow packing, Annabelle zipped up the final bag and pulled herself off the bed. "Done," she said, pulling the hoodie tight around her.

"I'll take the bags down, start packing the car." Happy smiled at her as he started heaving the bags off the bed and out of the room, filling the trolley before taking it downstairs, leaving Tony and Annabelle alone.

Annabelle wondered around the room one last time, checking to see if anything would be left behind. When she couldn't find anything, she walked over to the large window, looking out over the slowly darkening skyline. Tony made no move to stand beside her, reasoning that she would want the time to think before they left. She stood there silently for a few minutes before speaking, her voice filled with sorrow.

"She was offered a new job," she said, not turning.

"She was?" Tony moved to stand beside her now.

"Yeah," Annabelle continued to stare through the window. "She was supposed to be giving a speech to a group of University students the day – the day it happened. We were heading there, and she told me that the Gallery had offered her a job, but she wasn't going to accept without my approval."

Tony stood close to her, listening to her go through what happened, but not prompt to her to say too much. He smiled at the thought of Gabriella. "She wouldn't have done anything without knowing you were okay with it."

"She was always putting me first," Annabelle whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "No matter what, she always put my needs before hers. This was her dream, something she'd always wanted – it was perfect. I wanted to go to college here anyway, so I'd get to see her move than if we'd still been at home." She sniffed, tears falling once again. "She told me, in the car – right before it happened. I was so happy for her."

Tony didn't know what to say. He knew, from experience, how hard it was to speak about someone you've recently lost. He decided to simply place a hand on her shoulder and she leant in to it.

"I don't know how I'm supposed to deal with this..." she whispered, breaking down and turning towards Tony.

He wrapped his arms round her, resting his chin on her head. "I'll help you.  _We'll_  help you. You're not alone."

"Boss?" The two of them looked up at the sound of Happy, who was now standing back in the doorway. "If you're ready?"

Tony looked at Annabelle, who nodded. They left the room, closed the door and made their way back down to the lobby. Happy dealt with the manager, making sure they checked out before leaving and by the time he'd finished, they were waiting by the car for him. Annabelle turned in her seat at the last second to watch the hotel disappear behind them, a weighted feeling in her chest.

* * *

 

Hours later, not far from where Annabelle was now tossing and turning in a too large bed, Sam Carrol entered his small apartment after a long shift. Throwing his things on to the nearest chair, he made his way to the small kitchen where, propped against his kettle, he found a sealed enveloped displaying unfamiliar writing. Although he had no idea who it was from or how it had got there, he grabbed it and tore it open, finding two pieces of paper inside; a check, and a handwritten note.

_I don't believe I truly thanked you for taking care of my daughter the way you did. You made her feel safe and helped her deal with what had happened to both her and her mother whilst she was in your care, not treating her like a child when she needed the support through her grief._

_The check is for you to do as you wish with, there are no hidden terms or conditions as to what you choose to do._

_If you ever decide that moving to New York would be a beneficial move, contact Stark Industries – there will be a position with the Stark Relief Foundation waiting for you._

_Tony Stark_

Sam stood stock still as he read through the note for a second and third time, not believing the words in front of him. He looked down at the check sitting on his counter. His eyes widened when he counted the zeros, the digits blurring in to one as he took in the sheer amount written out before him. He never imagined when he'd been given the task of attending to the 'poor girl in bed four who'd lost her mother' that he'd not just meet Tony Stark but get to talk to him.

He had no reason to believe the note and the check were a stupid prank by one of his friends or his brother, but Sam knew he couldn't celebrate or tell anybody until he knew for certain it was real. He folded the check and placed it in his jacket pocket, vowing to deposit it in the bank first thing in the morning – then he would celebrate.

If it turned out everything was a genuine gift from Tony Stark, Sam didn't know what he would do, but he did know he would have to thank the man in some way.


	7. Chapter 7

The three of them all slept very differently that night; Happy as soundly as ever - but still on high alert. Annabelle constantly tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable enough position that she wouldn't put pressure on her ribs and her dreams turning to nightmares as she relived the crash over and over again. Tony, on the other hand, didn't sleep at all. This was not entirely unusual for him, as he could regularly go seventy-two hours or more, but it was different tonight. Normally he couldn't sleep because his brain was working too fast and going in to over-drive, but tonight... it was as if he was  _scared_  to sleep. Annabelle had left the door to her room open and he had stood in the doorway watching her sleep for hours. Somehow, she had looked even more vulnerable in the hotels double bed than she had in the hospital – and he didn't like it. No matter how many times he made to turn away, a new whimper or groan of pain would keep him rooted to the stop.

She'd started to stir close to seven. Whether it was the faint knock at the door from room service or the smell of the coffee Happy had passed him that had roused her, Tony didn't know, but he didn't think she'd appreciate him standing there when she woke fully and moved to the living area. When she still hadn't emerged ten minutes later, he assumed she'd just returned to sleep.

"Did you sleep at all?" Tony looked at Happy, both knowing he need not answer. "It's not healthy to keep doing this. One of these days you're gonna find out you've done serious damage to yourself."

Tony drained his coffee and poured himself another, all the while staring at Happy's raised eyebrows. "We both know I've been running on less than a month of sleep a year since I hit twenty. Hasn't hurt me yet."

"That you know of."

"I'm not having this argument with you again, Mom."

Happy smirked at that; when Tony called him that, he knew he'd hit a sore spot. "All I'm saying is, you have someone else to think about now. It won't do her any good if you make yourself ill."

"While I appreciate the concern," Tony said, draining his second cup and pouring a third. "I'm not gonna change  _that_  particular habit of a lifetime. It's the only way I actually get any work done."

Happy didn't comment further, knowing it was pointless to even try. They remained in silence for the next ten minutes, Happy checking the news and weather while Tony started to design a new prototype of Stark technology, until movement could be heard from Annabelle’s room. She walked out cautiously a few minutes later, still in her pyjamas, and her hair completely dishevelled.

"Morning," she said, her voice protesting at being used so soon after waking.

"Good morning," they both responded. Tony jumped up and guided her to the couch, where he helped her stretch out over two of the cushions.

"Breakfast?" Happy offered, but when she started to shake her head, he quickly added, "They make it all fresh, so it'll take a while."

She thought about it for a minute before nodding. "Just some toast and scrambled eggs please. And a chocolate milkshake."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Milkshake, this early?"

Annabelle shrugged and grinned sleepily. "Why not? It's my daily dose of calcium. There's nothing wrong with milkshakes in the morning. Just because it's not socially acceptable for someone of your age to drink them doesn't mean you can take it out on us youngsters."

Happy snorted as he dialled the number for room service and Annabelle was forced to press one of the cushions from the couch against her robs as she fought back laughter at the look on Tony's face.

"I'll have you know," Tony said as he moved away from her and threw himself in the lone chair and crossed his arms like a sulking five-year-old. "I'm not  _old_."

"I know," she said, still grinning. "But the look on your face was priceless."

"I'm hurt."

"No you're not." Annabelle straightened up, noticing the faintest hint of a smirk on his face and turned to Happy. "Will you order him one to? I have a feeling he'll drink mine out of spite."

"You know me so well," Tony said with false bitterness before breaking in to a grin.

"It'll be here in about thirty," Happy said as he replaced the receiver. "Gonna head down and check out the gym in this place, be back in an hour or so."

"Okay."

Tony nodded to Happy as he left, knowing the man never usually went longer than a day without working out. He looked back at Annabelle, only to find her with her eyes closed and head tilted to the side. He was pretty sure she wasn't actually asleep again but, at the same time, he didn't want to disturb her. He pulled his tablet off the table and returned to working on the new technology he was developing. He'd only been working a few minutes when he felt a pair of eyes gazing intently at him. He looked up quickly, just in time to catch Annabelle turning pink and looking away. He smirked and looked back down, only to feel her staring again. It didn't take a genius to figure out that she wanted to ask something, but just didn't know how to. After the third time catching her doing it, Tony finally put his tablet down.

"Something on your mind?" he asked, crossing his legs at the knees and linking his fingers.

"I..." Annabelle started, but stopped herself before she got anything out. Tony saw her swallow as she pushed herself back in to a more seated position. She opened her mouth again but no sound same. She seemed to decide with a little shake of her head that she wasn't ready to start whatever conversation it was, and Tony suspected that it had something to do with her mother. He looked away as she regained composure, not wanting her to feel ashamed or embarrassed about not being able to speak to him.

"What are you working on?" He voice was barely non-existent as she held back tears.

He smiled and handed the tablet to her to look at. He could see her trying, and failing, to figure out what she was looking at. He couldn't help but smirk at the attempt, enjoying the fact that she was actually taking an interest. Annabelle kept hold of the tablet, staring intently at the screen for a full two minutes before handing it back, and smile playing on her lips.

"Looks... great."

Tony took it in his own hands and exited the program, looking up at her and raising an eyebrow. "You have no idea what that was, do you?"

Annabelle ducked her head slightly, a shy grin appearing on her face. "Not a damn clue."

They shared an easy laughter before Tony nodded to her. "I'll show you the full thing when we get home; the full schematics are in my lab." He looked up in time to see her eyes start to fill with tears and it was only then he realised what he'd said. He should have known she wouldn't be ready to call his home hers. He jumped up and crouched down beside her. "Annabelle, I -"

"No," she shook her head and shifted away from him, wiping her eyes with the neck of her t-shirt. "My home's with you now; I have to get used to it." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "We should talk about it, shouldn't we?"

Tony nodded his head and perched himself on the edge of the coffee table. "What do you wanna know?"

"My... moms... attorney will be contacting yours about her will." She shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she spoke.

"He already has;" he paused long enough for her to widen her eyes. "All you have to do now is let me know when you're ready and I'll make the arrangements for us all to meet."

"Oh..." Annabelle said, breathing a sigh of relief at the alleviated pressure of yet something else to think about. "Thank you."

"No problem," Tony said, smiling. "Anything else?"

"School," she answered quickly. "I can't exactly travel to and from Boston every day."

"I guess you have three options there."

"Oh?" Annabelle tilted her head in thought, trying, and failing, to work out what they were. "Which are?"

"Private school, public school – both of which I will ensure put relationship remain undisclosed if that's what you want." He gave her a moment to think before continuing. "Or there's home schooling." He gave a laugh when she turned her nose up to his last suggestion.

"Will going to an actual school even work?" she said, though Tony figured it was more to herself than to him. "I don't want to say I'll never want to be recognised as Tony Starks daughter, but I wanna have time to properly digest it myself before you release it... if that – if that's okay?"

Tony fought with himself not to roll his eyes; she'd asked for assurance on this so many times, he'd lost count. "Of course." She nodded but he knew she'd undoubtedly bring it up again. "And I have ways to make sure things stay private until you're ready."

"Then I'll continue being as normal as I can for my Senior year."

He nodded. "We'll look in to schools over the next few weeks; I'm sure I can arrange for you to finish the year off-site."

"Thanks." Silence settled between them, but Tony could see her debating whether or not to ask another question. "Tony?"

"Yeah?"

Annabelle picked at her fingernails as she spoke. "Do you – I mean – will you..." She threw her head back and spoke in a barely audible whisper. "Uh, will you be there for her funeral?"

"I'd like that," she looked at him, questioning him with her eyes and he nodded. "But you don't have to think about that now, okay?"

"Okay."

They shared a smile as Annabelle wiped beneath her eyes again and as Tony made to move back to his vacated chair, there was a sharp knock at the door.

"I'll get it," Tony said, heading over to check through the peep-hole and, upon seeing who it was, opened the door to a smartly dressed man in red, pushing a breakfast cart.

"Room service?"

Tony nodded and stepped aside, pointing at the table between his and Annabelle’s seats. "Right through there, please. Thank you."

The man, whose name tag read 'Jeremiah', removed the plates and set them on the table, placing their chosen drinks next to them then retreated back to the door, where Tony was still standing. They nodded to each other. "Have a nice day, Sir, Madam."

Tony moved back in front of Annabelle after closing the door and leaned down to grasp each of the plate covers, lifting them to reveal their mouth-watering breakfast. Tony grinned at her expression. "Breakfast is served."

Annabelle, far hungrier than she realised, delved right in, inhaling the smell of each bite before taking it. "This is good," she said between mouthfuls.

"That it is," Tony said, having, already, somewhere devoured half of his pancakes. They continued eating in silence, just enjoying each other’s company. Annabelle moaned softly in appreciation of her milkshake, Tony stifling a laugh, but taking a sip of his own, finding it wasn't hard to agree. Breakfast was almost finished when Tony's call started ringing and, upon seeing the name on the screen, his mouth set in to a hard line. "Uh," he said, loud enough for Annabelle to hear. "I need to take this."

"Sure," she said, not seeing the expression on his face, being too busy still enjoying her milkshake.

Tony walked from the living area into his bedroom, closing the door softly behind him to ensure Annabelle wouldn't be able to hear his side of the conversation. "Stark," he said, a little more harshly than he should of, anticipating what was to follow.

" _Hello, this is Michael Hastings from Hastings & Sons,_" the man on this line said politely, seemingly not taking offence to Tony's tone at all. " _Am I speaking to Anthony Stark._ "

Tony cringed at the use of 'Anthony'. "You are."

" _Ah, good. I wish to inform you that a Mrs Gabriella Cooper is ready for release._ "

He spoke with so little emotion that it took Tony a minute to understand what he was being told. He'd always funeral home owners and employees were supposed to speak with compassion, not with a bluntness that suggests they've been in the business too long. "Already?" Tony said, keeping his voice even. "I was told it would take up to two days."

" _We were asked to make Mrs Cooper a priority. Is this a problem?_ " the man asked accusingly.

So that was his problem. Tony had offered a substantial amount for them to take care of Gabriella as a priority... obviously this man didn't take kindly to that kind of thing... didn't stop him taking the money though did it? It was purely the fact that they were taking care of Gabbie that he wasn't going to ask Jarvis to recover his donation. "No, it's not," he said, curtly, rattling off the airport they would be leaving from and making it clear Happy would be calling back with further information, saying goodbye and promptly hanging up.

He stood there for a couple of minutes, pondering how to bring the news up to the girl sitting a few feet beyond his closed door. She was barely coping as it was, what with every new thing she realised that would have to change. He didn't blame her; this wasn't something a nearly seventeen-year-old should ever have to deal with. Scrap that, no child of any age should have to deal with something like this. Tony sighed, dreading her reaction, not because he didn't want to deal with it, but because he was well and truly worried about her.

Tony braced himself, opened the door and stepped out the room, back in to the view of Annabelle. She'd finished her breakfast while he'd been on the phone and was now leaning back against the couch, feet up beside her, flicking through the countless channels the suites TV head to offer. She seemed completely at ease for the first time that morning, and he hated having to be the one to spoil it, but it was just something he couldn't avoid or put off any longer.

He cleared his throat, trying to catch her attention. "Annabelle?"

"Yeah?" she said, not looking at him. "Sorry, I didn't like sitting in silence, I hope you don't mi-" She stopped when she finally looked at him and caught sight of his face, his expression openly telling her he had something serious to discuss. "What's wrong?"

"That was the funeral home," he said, holding up the phone as if to show her. "Your moms ready to go home."

For what seemed like a long time, Annabelle was silent. The TV control fell from her hand to the floor, but she made no move to get it. In fact, she didn't move at all, nor did she make a sound.

"Oh," was all she said after a full five minutes of nothing.

Tony could ever so slightly see her start to crumble when she realised how soon her life would really be changing. He made to move next to her, but she shook her head, her whole body starting to shake. He backed off, but not completely. "Annabelle..."

"No!" she all but screamed, scrambling as fast as her broken body would allow off the couch and towards her room. "I... I can't... no..."

She backed herself in to the en suite as Tony tried to follow, locking the door behind her once she was clear. Tony pounced the last few steps, grabbing holding of the doorknob and rattling it in an attempt to get it open. He knew he wouldn't pick the lock, it wasn't right, but he'd have no choice if she didn't come out willingly. He knocked lightly on the door, not wanting to startle her. "Annabelle, open the door please." Tony pressed his ear to the door, hearing her muffled cries through the thick wood. "Annabelle?"

Nothing. Tony tried the door again, knowing full well it wouldn't budge as he pushing against it. He knocked once more before pulling his phone out and hitting Happy’s speed dial. He barely had to wait a few seconds before the line clicked open.

" _Yeah, Boss?_ " He was slightly breathless, and Tony figured he was fitting three days’ worth of work-out in to a single hour.

"I need you up here, now."

Tony didn't give him any room for discussion, just said what he needed to and hung up. He kept calling Annabelle’s name until Happy came bursting through the door. He looked between Tony and the locked door, panting.

"What's going on?"

"Gabbie's being released," Tony had in a whisper. "And Annabelle’s freaking out."

"Ah." Happy nodded and tried calling Annabelle himself, but to no avail.

"Will you start packing and making arrangements with Max? I'll need you to phone the funeral home and pass the information along, too."

"Sure thing."

Happy moved away, pulling out his phone. Tony could hear him talking from the other room, packing as he went. It wouldn't be long until everything was arranged, and he needed to get Annabelle out of the bathroom sooner rather than later.

"Annabelle?" he said, knocking softly on the door again. He could hear her sobs subside slightly and he felt relieved - emotional women was never something he never was good at dealing with. "I know everything is happening fast, but I need you to calm down and come out or I'm going to have to break down the door."

"No!" she started crying behind the door again and Tony thought that maybe he shouldn't have said that. "Tony, just please, leave me alone."

"I can't..." he sighed, sinking down to sit on the floor, resting his back against the door. "I understand most than most what's going through your head right now and locking yourself in the bathroom isn't going to help."

"I just..." she croaked out, sniffing heavily. "I'm not ready. I'm not ready to leave everything I know and love behind and move to another state. I'm not ready to move on and live my life while she can't live hers."

Tony bowed his head. He understood, he really did. This was the reason why he turned to drinking the contents of his dads many liquor cabinets instead of standing up and facing life, and look where he ended up for it? Having a daughter he didn't know about because his girlfriend hadn't felt him capable of raising a child when he couldn't take care of himself. He'd felt guilty about being alive whilst his parents lay dead, stupid really seeing as he hadn't been in the car, nor had it been his fault.

"No one is," he said truthfully. "It doesn't matter if you're given time to prepare or not; no one is able to lose a parent and just handle it."

There was silence for a full minute before Annabelle started speaking, her voice thick with emotion and breathing laboured. "My mom’s supposed to be there for me. She's supposed to be there at graduation, to see me off to college, to help me in to my wedding dress and tell me I'm the most beautiful bride she's ever seen. She's supposed to hold her first grandchild and tell them she's there to spoil them against my wishes." She stopped briefly, coughing. Her voice became low, so low that Tony had to strain to hear. "She's not supposed to be dead and cold in a wooden box the day before my birthday."

"I know," Tony said quietly, but still loud enough to hear. He hadn't yet thought about all the things that Annabelle would need her mother for, and how not having her there would affect her. "And there's nothing anyone can do that can change that. All that can be done now is to live your life remembering all that she's done for you already."

Silence filled the air again as only a door separated father and daughter. Tony could hear Annabelle continue to sob until the noise subsided completely. He jumped up as he heard the click of the lock, turning around in time to see the door opening the tiniest bit. He smiled kindly to her, coaxing her out by holding out his hand, which she took.

"I just want her back, Tony," she said, stepping forward and falling in to his arms. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest, stroking her hair. "I just want my mom."

"I'm so sorry."

They stayed like that for a few minutes, Tony holding her while she cried for her mom against him. Tony heard movement behind him and turned when Happy called his name.

"Tony?"

"Yeah?"

"They've given Max the go ahead to fly at three this afternoon."

Tony nodded. "Okay, thanks, Hap." Happy nodded to and left the two of them alone again. Annabelle pushed away from him, wiping her nose on the corner of her sleeved. Tony turned his nose of, took her by the hand and pulled her gently back in to the bathroom. He grabbed the face cloth, wet it with warm water and passed it to her. She rid her eyes and cheeks of tears and dropped it back in the sink. Tony placed his hands on either of her shoulders. "There anything you wanna do till we leave?"

She shook her head, then, deciding otherwise, nodded, her voice strained when she spoke. "Sleep."

Tony tilted his head, looking at her; her eyes were red raw, as was her nose. Her lips were cracked, and she was exhausted, hunched over slightly to alleviate pressure from her ribs.

"You sure?" She nodded. "Alright, well I'll wake you, so you have enough time to change."

"Thanks."

Together, they left the en suite and Annabelle headed straight to the bed, curling up in to as much of a ball as she could. Tony pulled the blankets over her, up to her neck and sat on the corner of the bed for the next twenty minutes until she finally drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 

Tony left Annabelle to sleep as long as he possible could, but with just over thirty minutes before they had to leave in time to make it to the airport, he couldn't leave her sleeping any longer. Happy had packed everything belonging to the three of them, leaving only the bare essentials out for them to use. Tony knocked on Annabelle’s door, calling her name, but he got no answer he let himself in, going quietly over to her so not to startle her if she suddenly woke. He shook her shoulder lightly. "Annabelle? Hey, kid, wake up."

He tried a few more times before she finally started to stir, batting his hand away and pulling a spare pillow over her head. "Go away."

Tony chuckled, pulling the pillow away from her face and checking his watch. "We have to leave in less than half an hour and you need to change." He moved away from her now, heading back towards the door to give her privacy. "Happy's laid out a change of clothes for you so don't go back to sleep." He left then, closing the door softly behind him.

Annabelle groaned in pain as she shifted from her side to her back. She laid there for a few minutes, stretching out the stiffness of her muscles as she prepared to push herself up from the comfort of the mattress. Her eyes stung from the breakdown she'd had before sleeping, and the resulting headache from it was making her feel ill. She pushed herself, with some difficulty, in to a seated position and spied the clothes Happy and picked for her – the sweatpants and hoody Sam Carrol had given her and a large tee she usually used for sleeping in. It made her smile that Happy understood the need to feel comfortable rather than presentable at this moment in time. Finally pulling herself fully from the bed, Annabelle picked up the clothes and carried them to the en suite, changing and doing what she needed to before gathering her things and taking them with her as she slowly made her way to the main room. Happy and Tony were both sitting on the sofa and chair respectively, evidently waiting for her to emerge. All their bags were piled on to a trolley by the door and went over to stuff her things in to the front of hers. "So," she said, turning to the pair of them, trying to make it seem like she was feeling stronger than she had been earlier, though she didn't feel like it at all. "What's the plan?"

Tony stood, draining the contents of the mug he'd been holding and placed it on the table. "We leave in five minutes and we'll get to the house just before midnight." Annabelle furrowed her brow in confusion, unable to work out how that would work if they weren't leaving till three. Tony rolled his eyes but chuckled. "PST, not GMT."

"Oh." That made sense, once they entered American airspace, they'd be back to their own time zone.

"Pepper was going to meet us at the airport but she'll meet us at the house instead."

Annabelle felt her heart sink a little, didn't Pepper want to meet her yet? "Oh..." she said quietly. "Right."

"Hey," Tony said, moving next to her and wrapping an arm round her shoulder. "It has nothing to do with you, okay? So don't even think about thinking it." Annabelle nodded, though not entirely convinced. "She's pretty pissed at me actually."

"That's an understatement," Happy muttered under his breath, but they both still managed to hear him. Annabelle raised an eyebrow and Tony glared.

"What did you do," Annabelle asked slowly, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

Tony rubbed the back of his neck, before walking over to the large window, waving his arms in the air as if to distract her from taking an interest. "Skipped out on a pretty big board meeting for the company," he said as if it wasn't important and went about examining the curtains like he'd only just realised they were hanging there. "Then I made her CEO of the company without telling her I'd missed out on said meeting." Annabelle snorted in to her hand, trying not to laugh. Tony glared at her, his eyes narrowed.

Happy laughed now. "That was last month, and she's still trying to sort out the mess he made."

"Yes, thank you for your input, Hogan."

"Wow," said Annabelle, letting out a low whistle. "That's bad, Tony; I'd be pissed to."

He rolled his eyes again, not amused. "Yeah, thanks, I get that  _now_." He rubbed the back of his neck again, thinking. "Reckon jewellery will do it?"

Annabelle tilted her head at him. "She that kind of woman?"

"No," Happy said, before Tony could reply.

Annabelle turned to him now, thinking. "Flowers, chocolates and a heartfelt apology?"

Happy nodded. "Exactly."

Annabelle smiled slightly and turned to face Tony again, pointing a finger at him, to which he raised his hands in surrender. "Do that," she said, trying not to laugh at his expression. "But don't have them delivered to her – deliver them yourself."

"Yes, Ma'am," Tony said and nodded, lowering his hands now. "We'll have to make a couple of stops then, if that's okay?"

"Fine by me."

Tony turned to Happy now, who nodded. "You're dropping me home anyway. Listen," he said, checking his watch and standing and Annabelle knew her time in London was now coming to an end, and she willed herself not to break down again at the thought of going home to a life she didn't know. "Max has only been given a half an hour departure period so we need to go. Leave the trolley, Annabelle, I'll bring it down."

Annabelle dropped her hand from where she'd made to grab the trolley, letting it fall back to her side as Tony opened the door for her and she shuffled out in to the hallway. They both followed her as she went to the elevator, pressing the call button. Tony stood beside her, taking a good look out her, not even looking guilty when she caught him staring.

"You still look exhausted." The doors slid open and the three of them stepped inside, Happy punching in the button for the lobby. "You'll be able to sleep on the plane if you want."

"Probably." Annabelle chose that precise moment to yawn, covering her mouth with her hand. "But I've never been able to sleep while in the air before."

"Ever experienced the luxury of private flying before?"

Annabelle shook her head. Her mom had never been able to afford more than standard seats for them bother, not that either of them had ever been bothered by it. "Never."

"Then you're in for a treat, kid," Tony said, ushering her out in to the lobby then through the revolving doors to the waiting car. They had about forty-five minutes until they needed to be at the airport, then they less than half an hour before they had to be in the air. Annabelle hoped she wouldn't have to see her mom's coffin being escorted on to the plane; it was bad enough to know her mom would be flying with her but couldn't  _be_  with her, she didn't need to see it to.

The drive was made in near silence, with Tony and Happy only exchanging small talk and neither deciding it was necessary to try and engage her to. Annabelle leaned with her head against the window, watching London pass by her, her eyes refusing to focus and allow the images to imprint themselves in her mind. She didn't want to remember London; there were too many bad memories here now, her mom's death by far overshadowed the fun they'd had the few days before.

Annabelle was so deep in her thoughts that, when they arrived at the airport, Tony had to nudge her a few times to gain her attention, asking if she was okay. She nodded and pulled herself from the car with his help. Happy was already passing their bags over to an attendant to be loaded. She couldn't see any sight of a car belonging to a funeral home – and for that she was grateful. Tony waited patiently for her to follow him up the steps, holding out a hand to help her. They stepped on the plane together, but Annabelle had to stop at the threshold to the cabin, the sheer extravagance startling.

"Welcome aboard."

He opened is arms wide and spun round, a grin plastered on his face. Annabelle slowly stepped through the door, her eyes wide and strained as she tried to take in everything. The walls were white with streaks of red and gold. There was a small selection of single seats with belts facing each other in pairs, tables in between, but only enough for half a dozen people. The main seating seemed to be three long, wide, red velvet couches at the back of the cabin, by a door that led she didn't know where. There was nothing out of place and everything seemed to fit perfectly and the amount of space to move around unrestricted was unbelievable! She walked down to the couches, running her hand along the cushions and feeling the soft texture beneath her fingers before taking a tentative seat and suppressed a moan – it was the softest thing she'd ever sat on. Tony was still grinning, though not as wide now, at her waiting, she suspected, for her approval. She too another look round and smiled.

"It's definitely..." she paused and laughed when Tony's face fell. "Impressive."

Tony grinned and beckoned her over to one of the chairs. "There's first class," he said as he pointed for her sit down and buckle up. "Then there's  _Stark_  class."

Annabelle couldn't help but snort as Tony stalked back down to the other end of the cabin, playing with his phone again. She almost jumped when Happy, who she hadn't noticed had joined them, whispered in her ear.

"He has a big head, ignore him."

Annabelle laughed, catching Tony’s attention and he narrowed his eyes at the both of them, coming back over. She turned to Happy quickly. "You got that right."

"What are you two whispering about?" He demanded, playfully, raising an eyebrow.

Annabelle and Happy both responded, at the same time, grinning. "Nothing."

Tony was just about to open his mouth when a hostess in a blood red skirt, matching heels and lips, a pristine white shirt (with too many buttons open to be respectable) and not a hair out of place, came up beside him, standing close enough for everyone to see what she had to offer.

"Good afternoon, Mr Stark."

Her voice was sickly sweet, and in Annabelle’s opinion, she was trying far too hard. Happy rolled his eyes and sat down in the seat neighbouring hers, shaking his head. Tony, shockingly, seemed unfazed by her presence, choosing to keep his eyes averted from her, nodding and waving his hand dismissively. The hostess, who now looked utterly defeated, glared at the back of his head, turned on her heel and marched off towards the front of the plane, stopping short of slamming the door. Happy stared after her, shaking his head while Tony tapped away at his phone again, taking the seat directly opposite Annabelle’s, who was trying not to laugh at the woman’s reaction.

"They all signed, Hap?" Tony asked, not looking up from the screen.

Happy nodded. "Every single one without complaint. The all know the risks."

Annabelle, confused now, leaned forward. "Am I missing something?"

"Non-disclosures," Tony said and, noting the widening of Annabelle’s eyes, elaborated. "Everyone who works for me in any aspect has to sign a new one monthly. I had them amended last night to include you, to protect your identity."

Annabelle shrunk back in her seat. All this trouble because of her, because she didn't want everyone to know she was his daughter? "Oh."

Tony placed his phone back in his pocket, reached over and placing a hand on her arm. "It would have been done whether you wanted to be publicly recognised as my daughter of not, okay?"

She nodded but wasn't convinced. "Okay."

"He's right, you know? There's been leaks in the past that have caused major backlash because there wasn't an amendment in time to prevent it." She nodded again, understanding a bit better now. Happy rolled his eyes at Tony now, earning himself a glare in response. "Took well over a year to die down and Pepper could have killed Tony for the trouble it caused – and this was  _before_  they were a couple."

Annabelle grimaced, guessing what the leak could have possibly been, and jabbed her thumb in Tony’s direction. "He's likes causing trouble, doesn't he?"

"Not so much likes it's, more like he just can't for the life of him avoid it."

"He's a magnet."

"And not the good kind."

Happy and Annabelle shared a nod and finished their conversation as though Tony wasn't sitting there with them. He stared at them in disbelief, shaking his head and suppressing the slightest of smiles. He pointed his finger between the two of them playfully. "I do not like this."

Laughing, Happy and Annabelle again responded in sync. "What?"

Tony groaned now. "This," he said, again pointing his finger between the two of them. I feel like the two of you are conspiring against me."

"Maybe we are," Annabelle said quietly, barely loud enough for him to hear, a glint in her eye at Tony gaped at.

"I do not like this," Tony said, sulking.

"You'll get used to it," she said, patting Tony’s arm now and reached over to high-five Happy.

Tony groaned again, shaking his head and closing his eyes. "That's what I'm afraid of."

* * *

 

Hours later, Tony found himself sitting on the edge of one of the red couches, once again watching Annabelle sleep. They'd barely been in the air forty-five minutes before she'd tilted her head against the seat and slipped in to a heavy sleep. He'd carried her to the couches rather than to the bedroom because he'd wanted to keep an eye on her. Happy had said she would be fine, but he just couldn't help himself. He'd spent nearly seventeen years not being able to do it, so why couldn't he now? Annabelle had slept almost the entire flight while he and Happy made a few plans for over the next few weeks, some that needed discussing with Pepper, and some that needed discussing with the teenage across from him. He checked his watch, noting they had less than an hour before they landed, and it was almost time for the seat belt light to come on. He needed to wake her, but she looked oh so peaceful.

" _Ladies and gentlemen, please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts; we'll be making our decent in to Califield in ten minutes time."_

As it turns out, he didn't need to wake her, as the overhead speakers were loud enough to do it for him. She stirred briefly before her eyes snapped open. Tony sat back as she looked round, clearly disorientated. She caught sight of him and seemed to calm, but still seemed a little unsure as to how she got on the couch. Tony motioned that she needed to get up and she did, somewhat unsteadily, and followed him back to their seats. She looked out the windows and saw the sky was pitch black and, having no clear idea of the time but knowing they were about to land, came to the only obvious conclusion.

"I slept the entire flight?"

Tony nodded, buckling his belt. "Pretty much, I don't think we'd even left UK airspace."

Annabelle yawned, tightening her own belt and tried to get comfortable. Happy was dozing in his own seat, his head drooped to the side. "Guess I was still really tired, though I still feel like I could sleep."

"You took meds for your ribs, right?" She nodded but he already knew she had, having been seated opposite her when she'd popped the pills right after taking off. Tony shrugged. "Could have been them."

"Maybe..." Annabelle said, yawning once again.

They lapsed in to silence for the short remainder of the flight, Annabelle still half asleep and Tony inwardly worrying about what was going to happen when they got off the plane. Just under fifty minutes after Annabelle had woken, the planes wheels touched down, the jolt of doing so waking Happy, and they cruised along the smooth tarmac of Califields before coming to a complete stop, the pilot announcing their safe arrival and giving the go ahead to leave. The three of them made their way off together, Happy leading the way. As soon as they hit open air and the nights cool breeze, Annabelle starting shivering and stuffed her hands deep in to her pockets. Seeing this, Tony shrugged off his own jacket and slipped it over her shoulders, wrapped an arm round her and pulled her to his side as they walked to the car. Happy was waiting by the sleek, deep red sports car (which was being loaded with only Tony, Annabelle and her mums things) waiting for them smiling. He held up his phone.

"I found a flower store before we left that's willing to stay open for you, and I've had the chocolatier drop off to them and you'll be able to pick up everything from there."

Tony flung his hands in the air and did a mock bow to Happy, making the man roll his eyes and Annabelle giggle. "You are an Angel, sent from above to save me."

Annabelle stopped giggling, holding her side – she honestly needed to know the answer to this, having now seen the amount Happy actually does for the billionaire. "Would you even be able to function if he wasn't here?" she said, nodding to Happy.

"Yes."

"No."

Both men spoke their difference of opinion at the same time, earning themselves playful glares from each other. Annabelle laughed, but winced. Tony eyed her, but she just shook her head. "Mind if I wait in the car? It's kinda cold out here."

"Go ahead."

Happy went over and held the car door for her, which she thanked him for, before moving back over to Tony. They shared a look and watched her through the window. "You sure you wanna head home?" Tony said suddenly, making Happy raise an eyebrow. "You know there's plenty of room at the house."

Happy smiled at him, trying not to laugh. "Scared of it just being you two and Pepper?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Of course I'm not scared," he paused, suddenly looking serious. "Terrified maybe, but definitely not scared."

Happy laughed but patted Tony sympathetically on the shoulder. "You'll be fine." They both could see the faint outline of Annabelle shift through the tinted window. "Look, my car's here so I’ll drive myself home. The sooner she gets there, the sooner she can settle."

Tony gave him a glare. "That was your plan from the beginning, wasn't it?" Happy grinned now. "No wonder you arranged for  _this_  particular car to be here."

"Guilty."

Happy laughed while Tony lapsed back in to thought. They stood together for a short while before Tony noticed the man beside him fidgeting. He rolled his eyes and nudged him, waving to the car. "Go say bye to her then, I know you're  _dying_  to get away from me."

Happy laughed again and walked towards the car, speaking over his shoulder. "Jealousy doesn't suit you."

"I'm not jealous!"

"Of course not," Happy said before knocking on the window and opening the door. "Hey, this is where I leave you."

Annabelle looked up at him, worry evident in her eyes. "Oh," she said quietly, playing with her fingernails. "I'll see you again soon though, right?"

Happy crouched down beside her and placed his hand over hers, smiling. "Someone has to babysit the child."

"Hey!"

They both looked at Tony, Annabelle leaning slightly out of the car. He stood a little away from them, arms crossed, having heard what Happy said. Smiling, Happy turned back to Annabelle, patting her hands gently. "I'll be by the house at some point in the next few days."

Annabelle breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay," she said, smiling now. "It's been, uh, great meeting you."

"Likewise." Happy knew she wasn't sure what to say, and the circumstance of them meeting wasn't exactly the best. He pulled out a pen and piece of paper from his pocket, writing down his number and handing it to her. "You need anything, call okay?"

She nodded, taking the paper and keeping it folded in her hand. "I will. Bye."

"Bye."

Happy stood and closed the door. He made to start walking to his own car parked further down when Tony shouted behind him. "Don't I get a goodbye?"

He didn't even turn, just waved his hand in the air. "Nope!"

Tony waited long enough to watch Happy drive off before taking a deep breath and walking to the driver’s side of the car. He sat himself behind the wheel, started the ignition and buckled up, looking over at Annabelle. "Ready?"

She nodded, "As I can be. Just..." she looked both embarrassed and a little guilty now. "Can you drive slow, please? I know you like to push these things to the max."

Tony wanted to laugh but refrained and instead just smiled and nodded. "Sure." Tony pulled out of the airport, managing to keep to the speed limit with ease as he detoured to the address Happy had given him. It wasn't all that far from the house, but it still took them an hour to reach it. The two of them made small talk; asking each other not so personal questions like favourite colour or favourite song. Being in each other’s company was becoming easier every time they were left alone, but there was still an awkward tension between them that would likely remain there for some time.

The airport was just over an hour away from the house itself, but the detour to the flower store was going to add at least twenty minutes to their journey. They pulled up along a parade of shops, most of which were clouded in silence and darkness due to the late hour. There stood only one store bathed in light, though it looked as though it would close as soon as they left. Tony parked the car and jumped out, turning back at the last second.

"I'll be five minutes."

Annabelle nodded, and Tony left her sitting alone in the car. Happy had already paid for everything and all Tony had to do was grab his purchases and leave. He offered a sizeable tip to show his gratitude, which was gratefully accepted. True to his word he was back at the car five minutes later carrying a large bouquet of flowers in many different shades of yellows and orange and a small, see-through plastic box containing a skilfully sculpted white chocolate diamond. Annabelle eyed the bouquet in awe. Her eyes sparkling.

"They're beautiful."

"Just like Pepper," he said, slipping them both in the small space behind his seat and buckled himself back in. He restarted the ignition, turning to her. "We'll be at the house in about twenty minutes."

Annabelle nodded but Tony could see the apprehension on her face and feel it in the air. He pulled the car from where he'd parked and set off on the final bit of the nights journey, both occupants of the car knowing it would likely be one of the hardest parts to their day. The twenty-minute drive was made in near silence, all Tony attempts at conversation were rebutted but he couldn't blame her – he understood. The gates to the long driveway were already unlocked and open as they got near, and as the house became bigger as they approached, Annabelle felt herself start to shake. Tony pulled the car up and threw it in to park right at the front door. He was just reaching behind him to get the gifts for Pepper when he heard Annabelle speak, her voice so soft he almost missed it.

"Are you sure she's fine with this?"

Tony sighed inwardly. He couldn't believe that she was still so concerned with what Pepper thought about the whole thing, even with all that she had to contend with at the moment. She looked at him, uncertainty in her eyes. He took her hand, squeezed gently and nodded.

"I promise she's a hundred percent with you being here," he said, and she smiled a small smile. He frowned though, when he remembered why she wasn't at the airport to meet them. "Me however... not so much."

He could see Annabelle trying not to laugh. He scowled playfully at her, glad his predicament was cheering her up. "You really did piss her off, didn't you?" she said lightly.

"Oh yeah," Tony said, unbuckling himself and jumping from the car, going around to the passenger side to help her out. "Welcome to the house."

He observed Annabelle as she took a good look at the house before them, gauging her reaction. She stared at it, her eyes darting here there and everywhere as she tried to take it all in at once. She was silent for a good minute or two, and Tony couldn't tell at all what the hell she thought.

"This is..." she said finally, trailing off.

"You like?" he asked, apprehensively.

She nodded, taking a step forward. "It's definitely unlike anything I've seen before. She turned to face him when she heard the car door slam shut, finding him empty handed. "Don't forget Pepper's flowers."

"Shit." he dived back in the car, emerging a few seconds later with Peppers gifts in hand. He came up beside her, wrapping an arm round her shoulders and pulling her close. "Ready?"

"No?" Annabelle said, looking up at him. Tony gave her a sympathetic smile, giving her arm a gentle squeeze. She nodded, taking a deep breath. "Okay."

Tony led her up the few steps to the front door, letting it open of its own accord. Annabelle gasped in spite of herself at the open-planned living space, liking how she could see everything without it being obstructed. She moved instantly to the glass wall, looking over the cliffs edge and out at the nights horizon and the stars twinkling high in the sky. Tony followed slowly, watching her carefully but all the while noticing the silence, and darkness of the house.

"Honey, I'm home," he said loudly, startling Annabelle and making her flinch. There was no response, and Tony beckoned Annabelle over, not sure why he wasn't being answered. "Pepper?" he called, but there was still nothing. "J?"

Annabelle was just about to ask who 'J' was when the sound of a British voice resonated off the walls.

" _Welcome home, Sir, Miss Cooper._ "

With a sharp intake of breath, Annabelle stepped closer to Tony, looking round her for the voice. Tony laughed at her. "Holy f-"

She was cut off by the rapid clicking of heels on tiled floor making her jump as much as hearing JARVIS for the first time. Annabelle made to hide behind Tony as the same time as he tried to do the same to her.

"Save me?" he asked, with what seemed to be genuine fear.

Annabelle shook her head and pushed him in front of her, also feeling a little fearful. "No way. Hide behind the flowers."

"Anthony Stark!"

It was at that moment Pepper rounded the corner and stopped short in front of them, glaring at Tony.

"Evening, Honey," Tony said, holding the flowers and chocolate box at arm’s length towards her. She tilted her head, eyeing the gifts, and her apparent anger slowly subsided.

"Honey?" she questioned – he never calls her honey.

"I'm sorry," he said, walking slowly towards her and handing the flowers to her first. "I shouldn't have skipped the meeting then lied about and made your life harder. Forgive me?"

"Oh, Tony," Pepper closed her eyes and inhaled the scent before her, humming in appreciation. "They're beautiful."

"Forgiven?"

Pepper gave him a sour look. "No." She set the flowers down on a small table, taking the chocolate and placed it next to them before giving Tony a peck on the cheek. "But I like you a little more now."

It was now that Pepper finally noticed Annabelle, who had remained in the same position after Tony had moved. The teenager cast her eyes down when she noticed the attention was on her. Ton returned to her side, wrapped an arm round her and whispered that everything would be alright in her ear. She nodded and looked up, finding Pepper smiling kindly at her.

"Pepper," Tony said proudly. "Allow me to introduce to you Annabelle Maria Cooper – my daughter."

"Hi," Annabelle mumbled, not trusting herself to speak any louder. She could see Peppers eyes darting all over her, stopping when they met her own... and she was surprised to find them sparkling with unfallen tears.

"Do you like hugs?" Annabelle was taken aback by the question and nodded in uncertainty. "Can I hug you?"

Annabelle breathed in relief and nodded, taking a small step forward after shrugging out of Tony’s hold. Pepper moved towards her and wrapped her in a light hug, careful not to place too much pressure on her ribs. Pepper was considerably taller than Annabelle, but yet still managed to whisper in her ear. "You've probably heard this from a lot of people you don't know and therefore it doesn't mean anything but I'm so sorry for you loss."

It was true, but at the same time it felt different coming from the woman currently hugging her. Annabelle believed the sincerity behind her words. "Thank you."

Pepper pulled away and held her at arm’s length. "I've heard you've been worried about me of all people. Don't." It was an order, Annabelle could tell, and she wanted to laugh but settled instead for a nod and smile. "I'm here to support both of you through this change in any way I possibly can and to be honest," she turned them both to face Tony, a glint in her eye. "You're gonna need it with him."

Tony who had been watching the exchange between the two women in his life with glee now groaned and rolled his eyes. "Hey! Why is everybody hating on me today?"

"Because you're an idiot and anyone who puts up with you deserves a medal," Pepper exclaimed. Tony looked to his daughter for help but all she did was give him a look that said she agreed with Pepper. Pepper offered her a high five (which she accepted) and turned to her. "You hungry?"

Annabelle thought about it briefly, but once she yawned she knew the answer and shook her head. "Not really, more tired even though I've slept pretty much the entire day."

Pepper nodded in understanding. "It's your body’s way of helping you recover; listen to it. I'll show you to your room." She linked their arms and Annabelle made to follow her willingly, but Pepper stopped briefly, turning back to Tony. "Tony, go get her bags."

He rolled his eyes but did as he was told, saluting her. "Yes, Ma'am."

The two women headed for the staircase, taking each step slowly and with care as Pepper led Annabelle up to the room she would now call her own. Pepper waited until she heard the front door open before speaking. "Has he made a fool of himself yet?"

"No he's -" Annabelle paused for breath as they reached the top of the stairs, leaning momentarily against the wall for support before pushing away and allowed herself to be led along the hallway. "He's actually been amazing. Tony's nothing like the media paint him out to be."

"Behind closed doors, he isn't." Pepper stopped them outside the only door on that side of the staircase, but she didn't open it, instead she turned to Annabelle. "Most of the time now it's just an act. I can't deny he was like that before but now... no."

"He's been trying so hard to just be there for me and not force me to answer anything or make decisions I'm not ready to make, but..." Annabelle paused, looking over her shoulder. "I can see my mom's...  _death_  has affected him to."

Tears trickled down her cheeks as she spoke. It was the first time she'd admitted, not just to someone else but to herself, that her mom was dead. Somehow it felt even more real, like something was stopping her from truly believing it until now. Pepper, seeing this, looked round quickly to unsure Tony was nowhere to be seen before whispering. "He cried."

Annabelle looked up, sniffing. "What?"

"When he found out, he cried. I've never seen him act like that to anything before." Annabelle took a moment to process this. Sure, he'd been truly sorry and was saddened by it, but she never thought he'd been  _that_  upset. Pepper looked down at her, her eyes showing something Annabelle couldn't place. "I think he still loved her, even if he hadn't seen her for seventeen years."

It was obvious to Annabelle now; Tony  _had_  still been in love with her mom, even if it was just a little. There had been moments over the last couple of days where she's found him preoccupied with his own thoughts, but he always drew attention away from him, asking if she was alright. Annabelle nodded now, speaking equally as quietly. "I think so to."

"He will get things wrong, and he will make mistakes and mess up along the way, but I know he won't give up." Pepper grabbed hold of her hand and squeezed, making sure she listened. "He's in this for the long run, Annabelle, and I know he'll try his damned hardest to be the father you need."

Annabelle nodded, believing Pepper's words to be true. She'd seen it for herself just how much he was trying for her. She sniffed again, her breath hitching as she spoke. "I wish my mom could see us. She wanted to... she wanted this, but..."

She trailed off, fresh sobs starting as she spoke to the woman stuck between Tony’s past and present. Pepper wrapped her in a hug, letting her cry on her shoulder for a few minutes. The older woman was well aware Tony should have met them upstairs by now, but no doubt JARVIS had forewarned him that they needed a few minutes, and for that she was grateful.

"Sorry," Annabelle mumbled, pushing away and wiping her eyes.

"Don't be." Pepper shook her head. She finally thought it was time to motion to the door they'd stopped outside of. "This rooms yours, I hope you like it."

Pepper twisted the handle and pushed open the door, revealing a room that was over three times the size of the one she had in Boston. Annabelle gasped softly as she stepped in and took a good look. All but one of the walls were painted a soft lilac (the colour she'd chosen), with the wall behind the head of her new bed painted a deeper shade of purple. The dresser, nightstand, dressing table and desk were all made from a white stained wood with a high-end finish. A deep purple, soft fluffy lined the floor. Two doors lead off the room and after quick inspection Annabelle discovered one belonged to a walk-in closet almost a third of the size of her room and the other to her very own en suite. The window was accompanied by a window seat large enough for her to lay back and relax and on the last remaining wall, a large TV was fixed above countless empty shelves ready to be filled with whatever took her fancy. Annabelle twirled on the spot, taking it all in before grinning at Pepper, who now looked relieved.

"It's beautiful, but you shouldn't have gone to all this trouble."

Pepper ignored her, waving her hand in dismissal. "No trouble! I like decorating."

Annabelle laughed, remembering the conversation from when she was still in hospital. "Yeah, they mentioned something about that."

Pepper rolled her eyes, smiling. "Of course they did. When you feel up to it, we can go shopping." Annabelle nodded, not having the heart to say no. In truth, she'd never been much of a shopper before.

Just then, they both turned to the unmistakable sound of Tony hauling Annabelle’s bags up the stairs and to her room, appearing a few seconds later and placing everything by the bed. He'd brought both hers and her mom’s up, and Annabelle found she couldn't look at them, not wanting to tear up again in front of him and Pepper.

"How are you ladies getting along then?"

He sounded a little apprehensive, and Annabelle knew just how to respond. Giving a discreet wink to Pepper, Annabelle gave Tony a sly smile. "Think of how a get along with Happy."

Tony groaned, making Pepper chuckle. "Ah, hell."

"Well," Pepper said suddenly, checking her watch. "I'm sorry to cut this short, but I have to fly to New York." Both Annabelle’s and Tony faces dropped, and the latter’s eyes widened. Pepper rolled her eyes at him but gave Annabelle a bright smile. "Don't worry, I'll back tomorrow evening."

"But why?" Tony whined, dragging out the 'y' like a child, though he soon shut up at the glare Pepper was giving him.

" _Someone_  has a board meeting first thing."

"Oh." A guilty look appeared on his face, but Pepper took no notice. Moving over to Annabelle and engulfing her in another hug before moving to the door, pointing at Tony.

"Agnes is coming about two to make a start on dinner, Tony, so be nice."

Tony groaned again. "But, Pep-"

"No."

"Fine," Tony said, defeated. "I'll see you out. Annabelle, I'll be back in a bit."

Annabelle nodded at him. "Okay. It's really nice to finally meet you, Pepper."

"Oh, Hon, same here. I'll see you tomorrow." With a final smile, Pepper and Tony left the room, closing the door behind them. They reached the bottom of the stairs, well away from Annabelle, before Pepper spoke. "Do not screw this up, Tony."

"Like I'd honestly do it intentionally." Tony gave her a serious look, which she returned with a glare. Tony stopped them walking, circling his arms round her waist and pulling her close to him, placing his forehead against hers. "I promise I'll try. I love you."

"I love you, too." She gave him a quick kiss and slipped from his hold, opening the front door and stepping out. He noticed her car now, parked off to the side of his. How he hadn't noticed it before, he didn't know.

"No luggage?" he asked, leaning against the door frame.

"Already in the car." Tony laughed, trust her to be completely organised. She turned back to him before getting in. "Get back to her."

Tony nodded and stayed long enough to see her drive off before heading back in the house, locking the door behind him. He didn't, however, go straight back to Annabelle. Checking his watch and noting the time, Tony jogged down to his lab, bypassing everything and going straight to the far end. Pressing his hand to a scanning pad, Tony waited for his hand print to be recognised before moving out of the way of the opening hidden door, behind which was a safe, one which Pepper didn't know about. It held things that were completely personal; items of his parents, official documents he'd once claimed to be lost and photos he didn't want anyone to ever see. What he was looking for, was hidden on the very top shelf, in an old combination safe that had once belonged to his grandfather. Opening it, he pulled out the only item from within – a slim, black velvet jewellery box. He held it in the palm of his hand, running his fingers along the top but not daring to open it ye. It had been locked away for nearly eighteen years, he hadn't even looked at it since the day he'd put it away... the day he'd realised Gabriella had left and she definitely wasn't coming back. It only seemed right to give it to Annabelle, didn't it?

Leaving the safe, Tony locked it back up and jogged his way up to Annabelle's room. It only took two minutes, but he found himself standing outside for a further five, just too nervous to actually knock. He finally took a deep breath and knocked twice, calling out to her. "Annabelle, can I come in?"

He only waited a few seconds before her soft voice filtered through the door. "Yeah."

Tony turned the handle and let himself in, stopping at the sight of her open suitcase on the floor, clothes spilling from it in piles. The draws to her dresser were open, a few items placed inside and the door to her closet was wide open. She stepped from the closet, red eyed and her face puffy.

"You don't have to unpack now, you know," Tony said, refusing to draw attention to the fact that she'd obviously been crying. He looked round, noticing now that her mom’s things were nowhere to be seen.

"I know," she nodded in agreement, taking a few more items of clothing and placing them in the draws. "But I just didn't want to wake p and see it all in the morning."

"Right." Tony watched her pottering round for a few more minutes before taking a seat on the edge of her bed and patting the space next to him. "Well, come and sit down for a second."

Annabelle dropped the socks she was holding back down and moved next to him. "What's wrong?" she asked cautiously.

"It's almost half past twelve."

Tony watched the realisation of what that meant settle on her face. Her eyes cast downwards, and she played with her fingers. "Oh," was all that she said.

"Happy birthday," Tony whispered as he passed her the small box.

Annabelle held the box in her hands, making no move to open it. Birthdays were something to be celebrated, and she did not feel like celebrating, but she want to hurt Tony’s feelings by refusing the gift. She wasn't even sure where he'd got it from. Did Pepper get it for him? Did Happy? Was it just a last-minute purchase before they London? Nevertheless, she smiled and thanked Tony before gently opening the box, gasping softy as her eyes landed on its contents. Laid on the thick velvet cushion was a small, oval locket on a thin chain. In the very centre sat a cluster of tiny emeralds. Annabelle took the locket delicately between her fingers, turning it over and finding an inscribing that read ' _GW, forever in my heart, TS_ ' in minuscule writing. She understood now – it was supposed to be her mothers.

"Its... it's..."

Tony squeezed her arm gently. "It was supposed to be her mom’s. I had it made for her eighteenth but... well... you know how that turned out."

Annabelle nodded. She placed the box on the bed next to her, turning the locket over and over again in her hand. "You kept it," she asked, looking up at him. "After all this time?"

He shrugged. "I always hoped she'd come back. Open it."

She did as she was told, finding two photos safely encased behind the glass. One was instantly recognisable as Tony and her mom, standing together with their arms round each other looking at the camera. The other was of the two of them with another woman, who bore a striking resemblance to, not only Tony, but to herself.

"Is this -"

"My mom? Yeah." Tony smiled as he looked down at the images. Clearing his throat he stood from the bed, going to stand by the window. "She loved Gabbie, that's why your mom gave you her name."

Annabelle looked back at the image, noticing the absence of someone. "Your dad?"

"Hated family bonding, never around much," Tony said with a dismissive wave of his hand. And Annabelle dropped the subject, not wanting to cause upset. "I didn't get a chance really to get you anything of your own, but I thought you'd appreciate this more than something last minute."

"Thank you," Annabelle said, nodding and clutching the locket to her chest. She yawned, and Tony chuckled.

"Go to bed." Tony moved back to her, took the locket from her grasp and clipped it round her neck. "We'll spend tomorrow doing what you want, touring the house – I want to show you my lab."

"Sounds like a plan. Night, Tony."

Annabelle tentatively touched the locket against her chest and smiled at Tony. She stepped forward and wrapped him in a hug, that he instantly returned and placed a kiss to the top of her head. She moved away to grab something to change in to and Tony moved to the door. He stopped just before closing the door, poking his head back through.

"Goodnight, Annabelle."


	8. Chapter 8

Just shy of two weeks after her seventeenth birthday, Annabelle found herself standing in her old bedroom, dressed in black and staring at her reflection in the floor length mirror fixed to the back of the door. The locket she'd been given for her birthday, the one originally intended for her mother, rested heavily against her chest, sparkling brightly every time it caught the light. The stitches that had lined her face above her eyes had finally been removed a few days prior, leaving only a collection of thin, pink scars... not that they were all that visible now. Before she'd left to travel back to Boston, Pepper had spent a good couple of hours showing her how to perfectly cover them with concealer. At least now, when everyone was staring at her, they wouldn't instantly be drawn to the fact that she'd been injured in the accident to.

She'd arrived back at the house just before seven that morning, having spent the night at a nearby hotel with Tony. The house didn't have a guest room, and she herself didn't feel able to sleep in her mom’s room to let Tony take hers. When she'd stepped through the front door, Annabelle had fully expected to break down, but she hadn't... all she'd felt was an overwhelming numbness. Annabelle had pointed to the living room, kitchen and bathroom to Happy and Tony before taking her garment bag upstairs with her and locking herself in her bedroom. Neither men had bothered her much, only knocking on her door every now and then to ask if she needed something. The closer it got to eleven, however, the more Annabelle heard the floorboards outside her room creak, though no one actually knocked on the door.

Annabelle had heard people start to arrive outside ten minutes ago, though she didn't dare venture to the window for fear of someone seeing the curtain move. It had been arranged for her mom’s closest friends to meet and travel to the Church behind the hearse, but Annabelle hadn't wanted any of them to come inside. Having people in there just didn't seem right.

Staring at herself again, Annabelle swiped a few stray hairs from her face as she heard someone outside her room. Her heart pounded against her chest – she knew what was coming now. The gentlest of knocks sounded against the door, and it opened slowly, Tony appearing through the crack.

"Hey," he said, smiling sadly at her. He was dressed in a crisp black suit with matching tie, his dark sunglasses hooked in his jacket pocket. "Can I come in?"

Annabelle nodded. "Yeah." She moved away from the mirror, away from the door and sat on her bed. She resisted the urge to pull her knees to her chest and curl in on herself, knowing that it would do no good to do that now. She looked at Tony through her lashes, waiting.

"You doing okay?"

It was a stupid question, they both knew it. Annabelle shook her head, willing the tears not to fall. "No."

Tony moved to sit next to her now, wrapping an arm round her shoulders and tugging lightly to pull her to him. She went willingly, resting her head against his shoulder. They stayed silent for a minute, listening to the sounds of people outside drift through the barely open window. Tony ran his thumb comfortingly over her arm.

"Me and Happy are gonna be at the back of the Church the entire time, okay? We'll be right there if you need us."

Annabelle smiled lightly, despite the situation they found themselves in. "I know."

Silence descended on them again for a further few minutes. They could hear more people gathering in the front yard and they both knew they needed to move.

"We should, uh..." Tony paused. "We should get going."

Annabelle sniffed and sighed, pushing away from Tony and standing, straightening her dress. "Separate cars, right?"

"If that's what you still want?" She nodded, uncertainty in her eyes but yet sticking to the original plan. Tony stood and made to leave but Annabelle called him back.

"Tony?"

"Yeah?" He turned back to face her.

"Thank you."

He nodded and left, leaving the door open for her. He looked back as he reached the staircase. "No problem, kid."

* * *

 

Annabelle gave herself a further few minutes before grabbing her purse from the bed and leaving her bedroom. Happy and Tony were nowhere to be seen; the agreement was that the two men would leave through the back and it seemed they'd done just that, leaving Annabelle alone in the house. She descended the stairs slowly, building the courage to actually make it out the door. She was still suffering with the injuries she'd sustained but the pain was by far more manageable now, enough to be able to mask it. She almost wishes it wasn't... at least then she'd have another focus. Everyone who was invited to the house beforehand was outside; she could hear and see them through the large windows. All the attention would be on her as soon as she stepped out the door, as there was nothing she could do about that now.

Annabelle pulled the door open and all conversation in the front yard ceased as she stepped on to the porch and locked up behind her. No one actually tried to come over to her as she made her way to the one person she really needed the comfort from right now – her Godmother.

Gianna (who would only respond to being called Gina) opened her arms wide to accept Annabelle, who all but ran into them. The older woman wrapped her in a tight hold, refusing to let go. "Oh, Anna," she said, slowly rocking the girl side to side and soothingly rubbing her back as she sobbed in to her shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

"Thanks, Gina," mumbled Annabelle, meaning it. Despite the sun in the sky, she shivered in the light breeze, causing Gina to wrap her arms around her that little bit tighter.

"Where have you been?" Gina asked softly, not wanting to push too hard. "I've tried to get in touch, but no one anywhere would tell me anything."

"Sorry," said Annabelle, sniffing and pulling away slightly. "Things have just been so..." she trailed off, not sure how to explain the last few weeks without going in to too much detail –  _that_  she wasn't ready for yet.

"I understand, Honey," Gina said in earnest, wiping the tears and smudged make-up from under Annabelle’s eyes. She sighed, her voice thick now. "I just wish I could have been there to help you with this, all of this."

Annabelle tried, but failed, to smile at the intended gesture. "I didn't organise anything; mom had everything planned out." It was the truth, and Annabelle hadn't realised the lengths her mother had gone to ensure her daughter had next to nothing to do with the funeral arrangements should the time come. She hadn't even needed to contact anyone to inform them as her mother kept her attorney updated with a list of people that she wanted made aware of her death. In fact, all she  _had_  had to do was chose the date for the proceedings. It was an extra weight lifted before it even had a chance to settle.

"I'm not just talking about the funeral, Annabelle." Gina had tears in her own eyes as she spoke, the pooled droplets glistening in the sunlight and her voice laced with guilt. "I'm you Godmother, baby girl; I should have been there to take care of you."

"It's not your fault, Gina," Annabelle said in earnest, gripping her Godmothers hand. "I know you would have dropped everything for me."

"Who are you staying with?" Gina asked quickly, drawing the attention away from herself and wiping her eyes while Annabelle’s were averted. "There's always room for you with me and Kirsten, there always will be."

Annabelle wasn't sure how to answer. She couldn't say anything for fear of revealing too much. She swallowed slowly, buying herself sometime. "I..." she trailed off, having spotted something that made her stomach turn. Slowly making its way down the street was the sleek black hearse carrying her mother’s casket. Though she couldn't see them, she knew there were three identical black cars following behind to take those piled in the front yard to the church. The hearse came to a stop at the beginning of the path, and everyone in the yard went silent. Annabelle could feel the stares as she slowly walked towards the gate. She looked through the glass windows, at where her mother currently lay, but aside from the flowers spelling 'MOM', the simple, plain brown box gave her no comfort on her mother’s final journey. Gina appeared beside her, a hand slipping in hers and the other moving hair from her face.

"Do you need a moment?"

Annabelle shook her head. "No." The undertaker had appeared in her line of sight, looking for any indicator that she was ready to leave. She gave a single nod, took a deep breath and turned to face her mother’s friends. "Everyone," she said, as loud as she could, keeping her voice level without breaking. "It's time to make your way to the cars."

It was as though everything from that point happened in slow motion.

As everyone piled in to the waiting cars (five of her mom’s closest friends joining herself and Gina), Annabelle watched the yard empty. Never again would all these people gather there... never again would her mother tread upon the lovingly cared for lawn, or step through the front door. She barely registered them moving, her clouded eyes unseeing as the street disappeared behind them. Gina was gripping her hand again, but she couldn't feel it. In no time at all they'd arrived at the church and she found herself being the only one still seated, with her door thrown open and someone she didn't recognise offering her a hand. Nodding in thanks, she accepted and once out, found that she, Gina and the man were the only ones left outside. Annabelle allowed herself to be ushered inside and to her seat right at the front – in the pew reserved for the closest relatives, the nearest and dearest. Although she knew the music would be loud, Annabelle barely heard it. Tears steadily streaked down her cheeks as they all stood and watched her mother’s casket be brought in and placed on the alter. She noticed now how a well-chosen photo of her mother had be blown up on a board and placed slightly off to the side. Annabelle breathed deeply, an ache now in her chest. Gina squeezed her hand lightly as Father Williams (whom her mother had known for years) stood before them. He smiled warmly at her before addressing everyone and starting.

"Family, friends," his deep voice travelled and reached the very corners without the need for assistance. "We have gathered here today to celebrate the life of our dear Gabriella; a devoted mother, a loyal friend, a colleague; a lover of art and a firm believer that every person deserved a hand to hold and a shoulder to lean on. She was a woman who never, in all of her life, turned away someone in need." Through her tears. a hint of a smile played on Annabelle’s lips. Before Alan had gotten sick, and sporadically for a few years after his death, her mother had been an emergency foster carer; taking in babies, toddlers, sometimes even the occasional teenager or pre-teen. Usually it would only be for the weekend but the longest she'd had someone stay was a three-year-old boy for nearly two months. Annabelle smiled brighter at the memory. She looked to each one of the students she taught to be her own – offering them a shoulder if they needed it or a home cooked meal if she thought they wasn't taking care of themselves properly. There had been many days she'd been called down for dinner to find one waiting to be served her famous chicken casserole. Annabelle focused her attention back to Father Williams, still remembering her mother’s wanting to help people.

"Gabriella's life and soul was taken too soon from this world, leaving her spirit to watch over us all and let us be thankful for the mark she has left, I know I always will be." He paused briefly. Looking to Annabelle and giving her a slight nod. Her breathing hitched, and her face fell, knowing what was about to be asked of her. "Now, Gabriella's daughter, Annabelle, would like to say a few words."

Annabelle couldn't move; found herself frozen with all eyes on her. Gina nudged her shoulder gently, whispering soft encouragement in her ear. She stood slowly, stepping with careful purpose to the small podium off to the side of the alter. She pulled a folded piece of paper from her purse, the final draft of many. Never in her life had she had to plan out what to say about her mother, but today was different. She wanted it to be perfect –  _needed_  it to be perfect... needed to get it right. Annabelle looked up at everyone now. She hadn't realised how many people had actually gathered in the Church, far more than those who had been on her front lawn. She searched desperately for Tony, willing to catch sight of him before she started but she wasn't able to. He said he'd be there, promised he would, and she really hoped he would be. Trying not to let his apparent absence affect her, she allowed her eyes to settle on Gina, whose slight nod gave her the push to start.

"I love my mom, more than words can describe." She paused, giving herself a moment to ensure her voice didn't falter. "She is the reason blood runs through my veins and breath pumps from my lungs. She taught me to walk, to run; she taught me to read and write and she taught me right from wrong. She never laughed or made me feel bad when I got something wrong or made a mistake but told me to pick myself up, try my best and to try again. My mom is the reason I am who I am today." She paused again, looking up at the crowd in front of her. A few were nodding at her words, while others were shedding tears. As she was about to look back at the paper before her, a slight movement caught her eye. Right at the back of the Church, right by the doors and unseen by everyone facing forward stood Tony, trademark sunglasses covering his eyes once more. Warmth spread through her at the sight. He was there. He gave her a nod, and she continued. "Every person seated here is a testament to how much she was loved and how much she will - she will be missed." She faltered slightly, taking a moment to gather herself as fresh tears cascaded down her cheeks. Annabelle closed her eyes. "I don't think my mom ever understood how many people she touched with her generosity, how many lives she saved with her kindness. We were about to start a new chapter in our lives, in  _her_  life. She was finally about to make her dreams a reality... but now she won’t be getting that chance." Her voice was becoming thick as she tried to stop the sobs as she spoke. "Every day I expect to wake up and find her in the kitchen trying out a new recipe for her students or sitting on the back-porch painting yet another sunrise, but I know that can never happen. I love my mom, and I – I -" Annabelle found herself unable to continue. She shook as tears clouded her vision and sobs racked her body. She vaguely heard mutterings from the crowd and within seconds Gina was at her side, prying the paper from her hands and allowing the girl to turn in to her for comfort.

"And I will miss her today, I will miss her tomorrow, and I will miss her every day until we meet again."

Gina guided her back to her seat before anything else could be asked of her. She was silent as she pressed herself in to Gina's side, shielding her face from those around her. She heard Father Williams clear his throat and address everyone, his voice soft and laced with sadness.

"Is there anyone else that would like to say a few words?"

There were a few murmurs and mutterings, but no one stood and wanted to speak. Annabelle forced herself to look forward, expecting the Father to continue when no one wanted to speak. What she didn't expect, however, was a rush of movement far behind her – one that caused an onslaught of whispered voices.

"I would."

Annabelle’s eyes widened, and her head shot up. She turned slowly, to see Tony walking briskly up the aisle, stowing his glasses in the front pocket of his jacket and glancing here and there at people as he passed. As he approached, they caught each other’s eye, and he gave her a slight nod without the slightest hint of a smile. Father Williams himself was taken aback, completely unsure how to deal with Tony Stark stepping up beside him.

"Very – very well," he stuttered, stepping back and allowing Tony space to speak.

Tony looked out in front of him, taking in the looks of shock and disbelief, but the only persons reaction he cared about was Annabelle – who was currently staring blankly at him. He cleared his throat, his voice dripping in confidence.

"I met Gabbie more than twenty years ago, back when we were just a couple of teenagers hiding from our parents. She was..." he paused, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "She was, for a time, my best friend. We lost touch a few years after we met and there are very few things I regret more than I do that. She was kind, she was generous. She was beautiful, and I am certain that there isn't a person whose path had crossed with hers that won't miss her." Tony glanced away from Annabelle’s still blank expression, noting most in attendance were now muttering and nodding towards him. He wondered briefly if maybe stepping up was a mistake, but however he now felt, it made no difference – it was too late now. He turned his attention back to Annabelle, who was now gripping tightly on to the woman next to her. There was an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach, one telling him that he should be the one sitting next to her... the one comforting her. He sighed to himself before continuing. "I know I have missed her every single day since we went our separate ways and I know I will continue to do so until my dying day. She leaves behind a daughter who is the mirror image of her own, and I am certain Gabriella will live on in her."

Tony finished his speech, and while short, contained a lot of heartfelt meaning. He nodded to both Father Williams and Annabelle, wanting nothing more than to go over to her but knowing it would  _not_ be the best thing to do. Instead, he stalked back down the aisle, completely ignoring the mutterings and that stares, and walked straight out the doors, Happy by his side. The Church immediately descended in to chaos – people seemed to have forgotten the reason why they were there, including Gina.

"Wow," she breathed. "I did not know your mom knew  _the_  Tony Stark! I wonder how he heard... Have you ever met him?"

"No..." Annabelle lied, shaking her head. "I didn't... she never mentioned him to me."

"Maybe he'll still be outside," Gina said, turning to Annabelle with widened eyes. "You'd be able to ask him."

"I have other thing to worry about right now." Annabelle stared ahead, straight at her mother’s coffin and out of the corner of her eye, she could see Gina pale considerably. As Father Williams tried in vain to calm the rowdy lot, Annabelle felt Gina stand beside her, motioning to everyone to stop, reminding them of exactly why they were there. The congregation immediately fell silent, seemingly ashamed of their behaviour. Satisfied with the outcome, Gina sat back down and took Annabelle’s hand, rubbing her thumb over the girls knuckles.

"I'm sorry, Honey."

Annabelle nodded as Father Williams took his place centre stage once more. She knew what was coming now, and her breath hitched in her throat in response.

"If you would all please stand."

For the second time that day, Annabelle lost sense of time. One minute she was standing as they waited for the bearers to step up, and the next she was standing next to an open grave as her mother was lowered down in to it. She was pulled from the void as Father Williams voice broke through to her.

"Let us commend Gabriella to the mercy of God..." Annabelle closed her eyes as the coffin hit her mother’s final resting spot. Tears flowed freely from, not only her eyes, but those around her as well. "We therefore commit her body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life."

With the final few words spoken, the crowd started to disperse, everyone leaving for the wake. Soon it was only Annabelle and Gina left at the graveside, the former still staring down at the spot where her mother now lay. There was a faint rustling of leaves from there nearby trees, but otherwise silence surrounded the two of them. Gina touched Annabelle’s elbow lightly, wanting to draw the girl away.

"Let's go, Anna."

Annabelle barely glanced at her Godmother before shaking her head. "No... I – I would just like a few minutes alone."

Gina seemed as though she was going to refuse to leave her, but ultimately decided against doing so in the end, choosing instead to nod and take a step back. "Oh course, Honey." She made to turn away before doubling back. "How about I take Kirsten and make sure everything’s ready in the hall?"

"Thank you," Annabelle said, still not turning to face her Godmother. She listened until she could no longer hear her heeled feet across the concrete road. Closing her eyes now, Annabelle slowly dropped to her knees, the hard ground digging in to her skin. A few minutes after Gina’s departure, Annabelle felt rather than heard someone approaching from behind her. She didn't need to look up to know who it was... the wind had carried Tony's aftershave to her before the man himself. She opened her eyes and looked to him as he sat down beside her. "I thought you'd gone."

Tony shrugged, resting his forearms on his knees. "Figured I'd stick around, make sure you're okay."

Annabelle sniffed before letting out a harsh laugh. "I don't think I'll ever be okay."

"You will, in time." He seemed so sure of it, so sure that Annabelle found herself nodding. An uneasy silence fell between them, and Annabelle knew Tony was waiting to say something. She raised an eyebrow and he cleared his throat, looking slightly guilty. "I'm sorry, you know, if speaking made things harder for you -"

"It didn't," Annabelle cut him off quickly, offering him the smallest of smiles.

"Are you sure?"

Tony needed the clarification, needed to know he hadn't unintentionally made things worse for her. Annabelle nodded in earnest and Tony breathed a heavy sigh of relief. They slipped in to silence again, only this time a far more comfortable one. It was barely two minutes before Annabelle spoke again, her voice just above a whisper and being carried by the breeze.

"What time did Pepper book the movers for?"

Tony’s response was soft, knowing how hard everything was for her at the moment, and knowing how much harder that night was going to be. "Ten tonight, and they'll stay as long as you need."

Annabelle nodded but said no more. She figured Gina would want to help once she knew the plan, but then she'd find out about Tony. She had two choices; tell Gina the truth or completely blow her off – neither seeming particularly appealing at that moment, but she guessed she'd cross that bridge when she came to it. She looked down in to the grave again, and Tony instinctively took that as his cue to leave.

"We're driving you to the wake. I'll be with Happy in the car."

"I won't be long." Tony nodded, throwing his own glance in to the grave, bowing his head in a silent goodbye before heaving himself up. He place a hand on Annabelle’s shoulder before walking away, leaving her on her own once again.

Ensuring he was well out of earshot, Annabelle laughed softly. "I really wish you could be here in person to see me and Tony, mom. He's trying so hard and he really loved you – still does in a way." She paused as her voice became thick and tears started again. "You'd like Pepper... at least I think you would – she has a real eye for art. I'm finishing Junior year at home because, well..." She stopped herself from going any further. She took a steadying breath before continuing. "I'm transferring to a school in California, didn't think I'd like being home-schooled much. I'm gonna look at colleges in the States, maybe Australia... I'm not willing to go to London, or England in general. That's no longer an option for me. I'm gonna do all the things we talked about and I'll make you so proud." Annabelle felt something hit her face, looked up and closed her eyes as big, thick raindrops started to fall and mix with her tears. She laughed humourlessly. "Why does it always rain at funerals? It rained when we buried Gran and Gramps, when we buried Alan – I hope he's taking care of you up there." Annabelle was steadily getting soaked through as the rain fell heavier. She stood, feeling the droplets trickling down her back. She stared down in to the grave again looking at the little golden plaque with her mother’s name and dates of birth and death. "I need to go," she said softly. "Before Tony comes back to get me. I'll visit you as much as I can, even though I'll be living in California, but I promise I'll try. I love you, mommy."

With those last, whispered words, Annabelle turned on her heel and made her way back across the grass to the road, her feet being tickled by the overgrown blades, the now dampness seeping through her shoes. Though she was paying no attention to where she was walking, Annabelle soon found herself in the car park. A few cars were littered here and there, none of which she recognised. Her eyes searched until she found the car that wasn't all that hard to find. It was flashy yet classy at the same time, and definitely stood out from the crowd – no one in the immediate area could afford a car like that. The unexpected rain had stopped sometime during her walk, leaving her hair plastered to the sides of her face and droplets of water tracking all the way down to her fingertips. She shivered slightly as the knocked on the window.

Tony threw the door open for her, but when she made no move he stretched in to her line of sight, seeing her standing there drenched. "Shit, Annabelle, you're soaked." He jumped out and put his hands on her shoulders. "Get in."

Annabelle shook her head, rain water flying everywhere. "I'll ruin the seat."

"I don't care." Tony’s eyes darkened a fraction as he all but forced her in the car, wrapping his own jacket over her shoulders. "I'd rather that than you get ill."

Tony shut the door gently behind her and got back in his side. Happy immediately started the car and within a few minutes, Annabelle felt herself becoming quite warm, realising that at some point the heat had been turned on. She caught Happy watching her in the mirror and smiled in thanks. As they drove, it became obvious they were going in the opposite direction of where they were supposed to. She turned to Tony.

"Where are we going?" she asked, both out of curiosity and slight annoyance.

"Pepper made sure to pack you a spare outfit in case that one got ruined," Tony said, flashing her a smile before looking out of the window.

"Oh," said Annabelle, the feeling of guilt for jumping to conclusions seeping in. "I'll have to remember to thank her."

The rest of the short journey passed in silence and within thirty minutes of arriving at Tony’s hotel, Annabelle was changed in to dry clothes with her hair tied at the base of her neck and make-up touched up and back in the car. Nothing was said as they pulled up in front of the building loaned to her for her mom’s wake. Happy respectfully exited the car and moved round to her door, yet made no move to open it, giving her and Tony freedom to talk if they needed to. Tony was staring blankly at the building before him, his face void of emotion but Annabelle saw him breath a deep sigh before turning away.

"Do you want to join me in there?" Annabelle asked softly.

Tony looked at her and smiled slightly, but nevertheless shook his head. "I think it's best if I don't." They both remembered the brief commotion his presence at the church had caused, and both of them found themselves not unwilling for a repeat. He took her hand and squeezed lightly before reaching past her and opening her door. "Call me when you want picking up.. we won't be more than ten minutes away."

Annabelle nodded and unclipped her seatbelt. "I will."

Annabelle stepped from the car, Happy giving her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder as he closed her door behind her. She stepped away from the car once Happy had returned to the driver’s seat and pulled away, watching them disappear around the corner before taking a deep breath and turning towards the building. She hadn't been there when the hall beyond the doors had been set up, and she hesitantly reached for the handle, not knowing what to expect inside. She barely crossed the threshold, not even getting the chance to take in her surroundings, when Gina was suddenly at her side, engulfing her in a bone crushing hug.

"There you are!" Gina held her at arm’s length now, inspecting her form head to toe, a frown appearing as she took in Annabelle’s appearance. "You're wearing different clothes..." she said slowly, running her hand through Annabelle’s ponytail, concern etched in the features of her face. "And your hairs wet. What happened?"

Annabelle sighed before shrugging out of her jacket, hanging it on one of the last available hooks by the door. "It rained when I was with mom... the change in weather wasn't exactly forecast."

"You need a hot drink in you." Bringing her in to another hug, Gina kissed the top of Annabelle’s head lightly and turning her to face the crowd. Everyone was moving around each other, making conversation and paying no attention to her at all – and for that she was grateful. Gina noticed the relief and gave a smile, pulling her god-daughter towards one of the tables lining the walls. "I told everyone to go ahead and eat, drink and all that without you; didn't think you'd want them to wait for you."

She shook her head as she accepted the steaming polystyrene cup. "Thanks."

Annabelle took that moment to scan the room in detail. There were photos blown up on boards littered here, there and everywhere; images of her mom on her own, with her or Gina, with her students and some taken from the various fundraisers she'd organised. Food and drink tables were those that lined the edges of the large room, while the one in the centre held a large open, leather bound book for those wishing to write a comment or two; a memory they'd like to share for Annabelle to cherish. A lot of the people in attendance Annabelle didn't know by name. She'd seen them here and there when with her mother but other than that, there were only a few people she knew she'd be able to talk to if they came to her – and she was hoping that wouldn't happen. What she wanted right now was to be alone, to not be in the room and listen to the comments on her mother’s death, and how she was a great loss to the world. Glances kept getting thrown at her, sympathetic smiles and low bows of the head in place of conversation. It was stifling.

Gina seemed to sense the unease Annabelle was feeling, for she pulled her back towards the refreshments, backs to everyone. "Listen," she started, and Annabelle was sure Gina was going to suggest slipping out but was instead frozen when she spoke. "If you don't want to go to the house tonight, you don't have to. Kirsten and Dr 'What's-his-face' over there are staying to clean the hall so you don't have to worry about that."

And there it was. She knew it would come eventually, but she at least hoped for a little more warning. Now she truly had to decide whether to let Gina in to the secret of her true parentage. She thought about it and knew now there was no way she would be able to get out of staying at Gina’s without lying through her teeth, and that was something she really didn't want to do. She took a deep breath and shook off the offer.

"Actually... I am going to the house tonight."

"Oh?" Gina’s eyes were wide and full of suspicion, evidently wondering why Annabelle had neglected to mention it before – and why she was opting to apparently stay alone.

"I'm packing our things," Annabelle said, explaining, before muttering the next words. "Ready to fly back to California tomorrow."

" _California?_ "

"Shh!" Annabelle whispered harshly, for Gina had all but screeched and attracted the attention of those closest. She grabbed Gina’s hand and dragged her to a corner, a good distance away and well out of earshot. Keeping an eye open for anyone coming towards them, Annabelle spoke hurriedly. "Gina, I'm going to tell you something, but I don't want anyone else to know yet – not even Kirsten."

Gina nodded. "What's going on, Anna?"

"Tony’s my father," Annabelle blurted, covering her mouth with her hand and eyes wide in shock with how quickly she had said it.

Gina’s face was a picture of perfect confusion, clearly not grasping on to who Annabelle was talking about. "Tony who?"

"Stark," Annabelle whispered.

Gina, still confused, tilted her head to the side. "Come again?"

Annabelle groaned. "Tony Stark is my biological father and I'm living in California with him."

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. It was the first time she'd admitted out loud, to someone other than herself, who exactly Tony was to her, and it felt... good. For the first time she felt like she  _could_ admit it – even though she didn't want to the whole world. She opened her eyes and frowned when she found Gina looking at her sceptically.

"That can't -" she shook her head. "Anna, that can't be right."

"Look at this." Annabelle pulled at the chain round her neck and tugged the locket from beneath the fabric of her dress. She prised it open to reveal the two images, beckoning Gina forward to have a closer look.

"It's beautiful," Gina said, running a finger over the image of just Tony and Gabriella, her words just above a murmur. "That's your mom., but, honey, he said he met her more than twenty years ago... the timing doesn't fit."

And with that, Annabelle explained in hushed tones everything that had transpired since that fateful accident. She explained about both hers and Tony’s letters, about Tony turning up in London, about meeting Pepper and Tony giving her the locket with an explanation about how it was meant for her mother. She tells her about the DNA test they'd taken – not because either of them doubted her mother – but because they wanted the proof in black and white. Annabelle was Tony Starks flesh and blood.

It was a lot for Gina to take in, and she mulled over everything she was told. Everything sounded plausible, now that she thought about it, it explained how Stark knew about Gabriella’s passing, and the time frame did indeed match up when you had all the facts. Gina rubbed at her temple.

"It explains why Gabbie would always dodge the question when I asked; very secretive your mother. Did Alan know?"

Annabelle shook her head – it was a question she'd asked herself time and time again. "I don't know. He brought me up; to both of us he was my dad, and he always will be. I don't think it would have mattered to him if he knew or not. Please don't tell anyone." Her voice cracked slightly as she pleaded.

"Oh, honey," Gina said, pulling the girl in to another bone crushing hug. "Of course I won't." She released Annabelle and straightened up, wiping her eyes, a determined look now on her face. "I'm coming with you tonight."

Annabelle rolled her eyes but smiled as she leaned back against Gina, sagging slightly with exhaustion over the day. "I thought you might; that's why I had to tell you now. He's picking me up when I'm ready to leave here."

"Really?" Gina said, eyebrow raised.

Annabelle nodded. "Yep."

"Right, well, enough of this." She eased Annabelle up straight, taking her hand. "You ready to join everyone again?"

Annabelle groaned. "Can I not just mourn my mom in peace?"

Gina shook her head sympathetically. "We'll stay long enough for speeches, or for everyone to get drunk, whichever comes first; the with amount of alcohol flowing it won’t take long."

"I don't want to speak."

Gina squeezed her hand gently, turning to walk back to the centre of the room. "No one’s gonna force you."

That was a relief, and Annabelle let it be known. "Good," she said, gearing herself up. "Because I don't think I could handle it."

They ended up staying for another few hours, Annabelle being pulled in to various conversations about her mom and how she was coping, what would she being doing now, what plans did she have now she was on her own. It grated on her how people she barely knew thought they had the right to question choices she hadn't even made yet. Gina stayed by her side almost the entire time, only leaving her to fend for herself when she was called away by her wife. The final straw for Annabelle was when the speeches started. There was no particular order of who was speaking, and the opportunity was open to everyone, but it was just too much for her to bare. Hearing people stumbling over their words as they spoke about her mother – she found it more disrespectful than welcoming.

Gina slipped away long enough to inform Kirsten they were leaving before returning with both of their coats, and by the time they exited the building, Annabelle had already texted Tony letting him know they were ready to leave. The anticipation for Gina to officially meet Tony was biting at Annabelle. Would Gina be possessive of her? She was her Godmother after all... and she had been in her life a lot longer than Tony. She didn't have time to worry too much, as it became reality as Happy pulled to a stop in front of them. Surprisingly, Tony stepped from the rear of the car, offering Gina his seat before coming around to Annabelle and opening the door for her. Once they were both settled Tony jumped in the front passenger seat, turning to grin at the two women as Happy pulled away. Annabelle rolled her eyes but smiled.

"Tony, my Godmother – Gina. Gina, this is Tony; my father."

Gina tilted her head, assessing the man before her. "Nice to meet you."

Tony nodded, seemingly unsure how to take the welcome, before turning to sit properly in his seat, belt on now. "Likewise." Neither had offered their hand to the other, leaving a slight tension in the car.

"Hey, Happy."

"Annabelle."

Happy caught Annabelle’s eye in the mirror and gave her a knowing look, indicating with a glance at a sulking Tony, who was appearing to be offended by the lack of enthusiasm in Gina's reception. Annabelle shook her head while Happy chuckled lightly. They drove in silence for around ten minutes before Gina had had enough. She adjusted herself in her seat and threw a glance at Tony before turning her attention to Annabelle.

"So, what's the plan?"

Annabelle sighed. "I pack my things to take to T- home with me." She paused. It was still difficult to think of Tony’s as home, but thankfully no one commented on it. Gina reached over enough to squeeze her hand. "Moms valuables and the most sentimental things are coming to." Gina nodded. "Everything else is going in to storage until I can decide what to do with it."

Tony through a hand in the air, jabbing a thumb behind him at Annabelle. "What she said – she's the boss."

Gina nodded again, taking her time is responding, not wanting to upset Annabelle further, but all the while curious. "What about the house?"

She felt the familiar sting of tears behind her eyes, yet she banished them away, refusing to let them fall. She nodded at the seat in front of her before answering softly. "It's Tony until next year."

"No," Tony corrected instantly, making the two women jump slightly. He turned in his seat to look earnestly at Annabelle. "I  _only_  have control of it until next year. It's yours to do as you please – just say the word and we can sort it."

Happy knowing how hard the last conversation between them about the house had been, reverted the attention back to the original topic. "I put a stack of boxes, packing tape and filler in each room. It's all waiting for you." Annabelle’s caught his eye again and mouthed her thanks, not trusting herself to speak. He nodded before turning on to the road a block away from their destination.

"And," Tony said, drawing the attention to him. "Under no circumstances are you to do any heavy lifting – that's his job." He jabbed a thumb at Happy, who nodded in agreement.

Annabelle rolled her eyes. "I'm fine to lift."

"Your bruised ribs say otherwise – they're still causing you problems."

"And how exactly do you know that?" Annabelle narrowed her eyes at him. She'd thought she'd done a pretty good job at hiding the gasps and wincing in pain when she'd overdone it, saving them for when she was in the privacy of her own bedroom.

Tony just looked smugly at her. "I'm a genius."

Gina snorted next to her while Annabelle turned the next question to Happy, eyebrow raised. "JARVIS?"

"'No!" Tony shouted while Happy nodded to Annabelle’s reflection. "Yes."

While Tony grumbled about the two of them being against him, Gina touched Annabelle’s arm lightly. "Ribs?"

Annabelle grimaced. "Happened... in the accident, but I'm mostly fine now," she reassured Gina quickly, whose mouth was open in shock realisation that the girl had been injured to. Annabelle pushed Tony’s seat with her foot. "I'd like JARVIS disabled in my room."

Tony clearly disliked the idea of her room being disconnected from the system. He shook his head. "But-"

Annabelle cut him off, with a tone that made it clear she wasn't asking – she was telling. "Please."

He sighed in defeat at the determined look in his daughters eyes, a look so like her mother’s he swallowed thickly and turned away. "Fine." He pulled out his phone, scanned his thumb to unlock it before tapping at the screen and speaking lowly. Soon Annabelle heard the now familiar voice of JARVIS making a confirmation before Tony slipped the phone back in his jacket. "Done."

"Thank you," Annabelle said softly, looking out the window to find them pulling up outside her house.

No one said anything as they exited the car, Gina moving to Annabelle’s side instantly. Annabelle looked at the house she'd called home until two and a half weeks ago, and although she knew it was full of memories and physical things from her life with her mom, Annabelle now only saw it as an empty shell. When she'd left that morning, she thought she'd come back feeling  _something_  but there was nothing. It was like something in her mind had been switched off. That maybe disassociating herself with it now would make it easier. Part of her was glad that she wasn't a blubbering mess, but there was also a part of her that  _wanted_  to feel; that wanted to cry and scream but she just couldn't. Gina whispered encouragement in her ear while the two men stayed two steps back, not wanting to intrude. Slowly, Annabelle made her way to the front porch, pulling her keys from her purse as she neared the door.

There were no sounds other than the shuffling of four sets of footsteps as they all entered the house. Annabelle stared at the framed photos lining the walls as the others stood around her, Tony hand on her shoulder. She sighed, heading towards the stairs. "I'm going to change. I'll start with moms room." She looked to Gina as the older woman nodded. "Can you show them round the kitchen? You know what mom would want keeping safe." She was talking about the two sets of wedding china hidden in one of the cupboards. One set belonging to her grandparents, and the second from her mom’s wedding to Alan.

"Sure thing."

Gina smiled sadly as Annabelle disappeared upstairs. She beckoned the two men with her finger. "This way gentlemen."

She showed them to the kitchen and, once knowing they were well out of earshot, turned to face them with a hand in the air, pointing straight at Tony. "You're really her father?"

Tony’s eyes darkened a fraction, glaring at the woman, not appreciating the obvious accusation of lying. "Yes."

Gina refused to be intimidated, though she lowered her voice a little, laced with warning. "Then take care of her; she's already lost far too many people for her age."

"I know," Tony said, folding his arms and leaning against the door frame. He didn't like Gina telling him what to do, but he tried to understand where she was coming from. Happy nudged him, silently warning him to him be nice. Tony sighed. "I don't plan on abandoning her.

"Good," Gina said, a glint in her eye as she moved in to Tony’s personal space. He froze as she got too close, and she took glee in his reaction. "Or you'll have me to answer to and trust me – your suit will do nothing to protect you."

Tony narrowed his eyes at her, but quickly realised that she was serious. He rolled his eyes and grumbled, more to himself than to the other two. "Why does everyone assume that I don't have what it takes."

Happy and Gina shared a look before they both started laughing at the expression on Tony’s face. Gina patted Tony in the arm and started ordering them about the kitchen, telling them what they could and couldn't touch and explaining the importance of the items she would be packing herself.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Annabelle stood stock still outside her mother’s bedroom, having changed back in to the clothes she'd travelled from the hotel in. Happy had kindly left the boxes and other things outside the door, not wanting to pass through without permission, and for that she was immensely grateful. She'd last been in this room on the morning they'd departed for London, having had to help her mom choose a dress for the trip to the museum... Annabelle had to banish the memory, knowing it would lead to reliving the events of the day of the accident again. Gripping the doorknob, she twisted and pushed the door open, letting it swing against the stopper. The faint smell of her mother’s perfume was her undoing.

Thick tears slowly tracked Annabelle’s cheeks as she stood unmoving in the doorway. Every was as her mom left it yet it was all so different at the same time. She took her time studying the room, making a mental note of the things that were going straight in to storage. Her mom wouldn't want her to keep everything; she'd want her to donate her clothes and shoes, bags and various accessories but Annabelle couldn't bring herself to box them up for the Church or goodwill. It would all go in to storage and maybe in a couple of months, when she'd had time to comes to terms with everything, to settle in to a new routine, she's be strong enough to go through it all again. Happy had left a pen and wads of different colour post-it notes, and Annabelle took a slow walk around the room, running her fingers over the furniture before tagging them with a coloured note, indicating storage or taking with her.

Packing her mom’s room would be emotionally the most challenging, but the easiest physically – it was the most organised in the room. The corner of the room that she used for her study was all coded; papers in clearly marked folders, stationary already in boxes – her laptop was already back in California, having been brought back from London. It took Annabelle no time at all to box the area up, putting almost everything in a single box labelled for the University. She moved to the bed next, striping it down to the bare mattress, labelling both that and the frame to go in to storage, the bedding to. For the next two hours, Annabelle slowly boxed up the contents of the room, lining the taped boxes against the wall until she was left with the closet. Her mom hadn't been a massive hoarder of clothes, having chosen to spend her money on Annabelle or new art supplies, meaning it only took two boxes for the clothes for storage. The wedding dress Annabelle someday hoped to make her own stayed in its garment bag ready for the trip to its new home. Pairs of shoes had always been returned to their original boxes, so it was just a case of putting them in one large one. What was going to cause the most trouble for her, were the three shelves above the rail. This was the once place her mom never let her peak at; it was completely private to her mom and Annabelle had always respected that. Would her mom really want her looking at that stuff? There was no choice in the matter, but it still made her extremely uneasy. To her relief, she found the items to be mostly family treasures, a folder or two with documents that she didn't understand but would take with her anyway. Right at the back corner of the very top shelf was a large, fairly battered blue box that had seen better days. As Annabelle pulled it down, she found it to be heavier than she expected. She sat with her back against the wall and peaked inside, finding, to her amazement, what seemed to be hundreds of letters – all addressed to Anthony Stark. "What the..." Annabelle’s eyes widened as she flicked through the hoard of envelopes, the paper all in various shades of yellow, indicating that they’d been there for years. At the bottom of the box, in a separate folder, was news-clipping after news-clipping of Tony’s life – the earliest she found to be the article announcing the deaths of Howard and Maria Stark. Her mom had followed everything.

Annabelle stood quickly, taking the box and its contents and placing it carefully on the bare bed, before stepping out the room to the top of the stairs, calling out over the banister. "Hey, Tony?"

"Yeah?" He responded, coming in to view below her. At some point in the last few hours, he'd shed his jacket, the faint blue glow of the reactor seeping through the shirt he was wearing.

"Can you come up here for a minute?"

He nodded and took the stairs two at a time, following her to the bedroom, but stopping at the threshold. "What's wrong?"

Annabelle pointed to the box on the bed and stepped back, wanting him to see for himself. "Look at this," she said, and he did. He picked up the top envelope, then another and another until he had about fifty in his hand. He looked at her questioningly. "They're all addressed to you," she confirmed. She held up the folder, which he took after dropping the letters back in the box. He skimmed through the cuttings, grimacing at some of the headings.

"She followed everything I've done since she left. Even the women I've – don't look at those." He whipped a small bundle out of Annabelle’s hand and she couldn't help but laugh at the flustered look on his face. He stuffed them back in the folder, putting it back in the bottom of the box.

"She never mentioned anything," Annabelle said slowly, gesturing to the box again. "And I've never seen this box before."

"She collected all this for a reason," Tony muttered, fingering through the envelopes again, whispering so lowly she couldn't make out what he was saying.

"To tell me about you?" she suggested, it being the only logical reason behind keeping it all. "I guess she just never had the courage to send you the letters."

"And I think I know why." He pointed to the dates in the corner of the envelopes. Annabelle hadn't paid attention to them before as it was so small. "Look at the dates – each one was written and sealed just before I went and screwed up in some way; the last before I revealed myself as Iron Man." Tony shook his head, the realisation that his constant stupidity was the main reason Gabbie felt she couldn't tell him about Annabelle. He sighed and shook his head. "I don't blame her for not sending them."

"Take them home," Annabelle said, placing everything back in the box, replacing the lid and handed it to him. "Read them all properly." He nodded but didn't say anything further. "Look, I'm gonna finish in here then start on my room."

Tony nodded at the dismissal and left her alone. She found no more secrets hidden in the room before moving on to her own. Everything but the furniture was going back with her. It took just over an hour to complete the upstairs. There was no attic or basement to contend with and, leaving all boxes clearly marked, Annabelle finally made her way back downstairs. She was surprised to find the movers had already arrived and were removing the bigger items in to one of the two trucks, Happy taking charge. Gina engulfed her in a tearful hug, having dug up her own memories while helping pack the downstairs.

"I can't believe this place is packed up."

"I can't believe my entire life is packed in to boxes."

"Honey..."

"I'm fine," Annabelle said tiredly. They'd been working for hours and, like Tony had pointed out earlier, her body was still healing. She looked around at the house slowly being emptied and shook her head; she didn't want to see it. "Can we go, Tony?"

Tony turned to her, nodding before going over to Happy. Happy glanced at her then went outside to find the man in charge. Tony came to stand by the two women, waiting for them to say goodbye.

Gina held Annabelle at arm’s length, rubbing circles in to her shoulders. "I'll stay and lock the house when they're done."

Annabelle nodded and gave a grateful smile. "Okay. I love you."

"I love you to, Honey," Gina hugged her again, both women crying against each other. "Please remember to keep in touch, or I'll hunt you done in Cali."

Annabelle found herself laughing, knowing Gina was serious. "I will, I promise." With a kiss on the cheek she made to leave, pausing briefly to whisper to Tony, noticing he was staying behind. "Be nice."

Gina looked pointedly at him, waiting for Annabelle to leave through the door. "Remember what I said."

"I know, I know." Tony held his hands up in surrender, before offering one to her, which she took.

"Bye."

"Bye."

Tony left Gina standing there and walked out the house, passing by the movers. Both were steadily being filled, one to follow them on once the house was emptied. Darkness had fallen while they'd been busy, street lights illuminating the pathway. Happy and Annabelle were already in the car, and Tony slipped in the seat next to his daughter. She had her head against the headrest, her eyes closed.

"You ready to go home?"

Annabelle opened her eyes, turned to look at him and sighed. "Yeah... home."

As Happy pulled away, starting their journey back to the hotel, Annabelle twisted in her seat to watch the house she'd grew up in disappear, Gina standing on the porch waving them off.


	9. Chapter 9

**_May 28th 2015_ **

 

The air was thick and sticky with early morning heat as Annabelle strolled with purpose along the streets of the English Capitol. The stores and various businesses that lined the sidewalk had been open for hours, yet it was still too early for the crowds to reach it's high. It was closing in on six years since she'd last been to the city; six years since she'd vowed never to return... six years since she'd lost the one person who meant more to her than any other. This year the time just felt right; she felt as though enough time had passed for her to return to the place where everything had fallen apart. She had spoken about it at length with both Pepper and Tony, even discussed it with Gina over their weekly call, all of them offering their full support. Tony had even offered to bail on his commitments and accompany her but she declined. She didn't plan on this being a long trip, only a day or two at most, but it was something she wished to do alone.

           

Annabelle had checked herself in to the first available hotel she could find. It wasn't the same as the one she and her mother had been staying, of that she made sure of, and it was only about a twenty minute walk from where the accident had happened. Annabelle trailed her way through a few select  stores on her journey, emerging with a huge freshly bought bouquet of lilies and a small reel of yellow ribbon. She didn't make another stop until she hit a set of traffic lights that made her breath hitch. Annabelle was standing a mere few feet away from the spot where she lost her mother.

 

Annabelle stepped forward, almost right to the edge of the road and closed her eyes. Tears slipped beneath her lashes as she allowed herself to completely remember that day almost six years ago and the pain she's carried with her every day since then. She gripped the flowers a little harder than was necessary, almost squashing them against her chest. Annabelle let the sounds of London wash over her as she remembered the bus making impact with the taxi, the feeling of broken glass hitting her face as the car rolled over, the feeling of the seatbelt restricting her from falling from her seat and she hung upside down. She choked back a sob as she remembered their last conversation.

 

“Are you okay, sweetheart?”

 

Annabelles eyes flew open as a hand made contact with her shoulder, causing her to flinch and spin so quickly on the spot that she would have toppled straight over had it not been for the elderly man in front of her.

 

“Careful, now, or you'll end up in the road.”

 

“Sorry,” Annabelle said quickly. “Sorry, I was miles away.”

 

“You seemed it.” The man eyed her. “Are you lost?”

 

“No, I'm not; this is exactly where I needed to be.” Annabelle said, trying to give the man a smile, though she wasn't sure it was entirely convincing.

 

“I see,” he said, and Annabelle could tell he wasn't believing her. “Waiting on someone then?”

 

“Sorry?” Annabelle said, before realising then man had been glancing down at the flowers in her hands. She shook her head sadly, correcting him. “Remembering someone.”

 

She looked up and caught the look on the mans face, the pain behind his eyes that reflected her own. She couldn't take the intensity of his stare any longer, choosing that moment to turn and step towards the lights once again. Using the ribbon, she attached the flowers to the base of the pole. They'd probably be gone or damaged to the point of ruin by the thousands of people bound to pass through by the end of the day but she didn't care – they were there now. They meant something now. Annabelle turned back to the man, who was now staring in to the middle of the road, unfallen tears in his eyes.

 

“I lost my son here.” His statement made her eyes widen as she stepped to his side. “Going on six years now but I come here every year around his anniversary. Did two tours in Afghanistan only to come home and be killed by an idiot who didn't know how to brake. His wife was expecting their first child.”

 

“My mother,” Annabelle whispered over the increasing sounds of city life. “It's the first time I've been back here in years.”

 

Annabelle felt the man take her hand in his and for a few minutes they both stood there silently comforting each other over their losses. Neither of them spoke until the mans phone started chiming from the depths of his pocket.

 

“That'll be the wife wondering where I am,” he laughed slightly and Annabelle gave him a light smile, the both of them wiping away tears.

 

“I better not keep you longer than I already have, I should get going anyway; people to see before I fly home.”

 

“Take care of yourself, sweetheart.”

 

“You to.”

 

They bid their farewells but it wasn't until she watched him walk away and turn the corner that she realised who his son could have been. There was one other person who had died in the accident that killed her mother, an accident caused by a bus driver failing to brake in time for the changing lights. The man who had been driving them to the gallery at the time.

* * *

 

The large glass doors of St Thomas Hospital were as imposing as the day she'd walked out of them with Tony by her side. This hadn't been in her original plan. At first all she wanted to do was fly in, visit where they had the accident and fly out again. Coming back to the hospital she had been treated at was not something she initially panned on doing, but only decided on doing so upon waking that morning in her hotel room. There was only one person she wished to speak to, the only person who had made her few day stay bearable.

 

Annabelle walked through the doors and straight up to the desk situated in the centre of the hall. There were two women working at either ends of the desk, each with their own lone of people to see, so she picked a line and joined it. Her line slowly dwindled down until she was the one standing directly in front of the woman now furiously typing at her computer. She looked up as Annabelle came in to her line of sight.

 

“Welcome to St Thomas'. May I help you?”

 

“Yes,” Annabelle said. “Could you possibly tell me whether or not Sam Carrol still works here, please?”

 

Annabelle couldn't be sure, but it was almost as though the woman in front of her had to fight to keep the smile on her face. She turned back to her computer but now seemed to be taking her sweet time in typing. Letter by single letter. Annabelle was not an impatient person, but this woman was seriously testing her resolve.

 

“He's currently Senior Staff Nurse on one of our wards.”

 

Annabelle was both relieved and slightly apprehensive. At least she be able to get today over and done with, without having to search every possible hospital in London for the man. She smiled brightly at the woman. She did not return it. “Would it be possible to speak with him?”

 

The woman was visibly refraining from rolling her eyes, as if the request was a major inconvenience. “He's extremely busy at the moment,” she said matter of factly, as if that would stop Annabelle from wanting to see him. “May I ask what it's concerning?”

 

“I was in car accident a few years ago; he was one of the nurses that took care of me whilst I was here.”

 

“I see,”  Annabelle could tell that, for whatever reason, the woman was conflicted over what she should do, though it was baffling as to why. While it took her a good minute and one or two raised eyebrows from her colleague, she finally sighed and picked up the phone. “I'll make a call but I can't guarantee anything.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Annabelle stepped off to the side, allowing space for someone else to approach, though there was no one standing behind her. She took the opportunity to have a look around. She couldn't remember much about the layout but she was pretty sure  it was almost exactly the same as it was six years ago. While waiting, she occupied herself with scanning the many pamphlets littering of to the side of the desk. There seemed to be something for everyone. She was scanning the titles when she caught sound of the woman on the phone.

 

“... she says she was in a car accident. She said it was a few years ago. I am _not_ you're personal messenger – oh, hold on.” The woman huffed loudly and Annabelle looked at her as she waved a hand. “Your name?”

 

“Annabelle Cooper.”

 

“Annab-,” the woman actually did roll her eyes this time as she handed over the phone. “He would like to talk to you himself.”

 

Without offering her much acknowledgement, Annabelle took the phone, the woman muttering to herself. “Hello?”

 

“ _The day Annabelle was discharged, I gave her something._ ” said a voice she vaguely recognised, one that no longer seemed to have a constant edge of joy to it, but rather exhaustion. “ _What was it?_ ”

 

Annabelle smiled. She remembered exactly what he was talking about. She remembered Happy complaining that hospital staff were unprofessional on the ride to the hotel and Tony demanding he shut up. “A tracksuit,” she said, laughing along with him. “And you claimed not to be the type of guy to wear one.” The receptionist was glaring at her in between answering the man she was seeing tos questions. It was evident the woman was not happy about what was clearly a personal call happening on her desk phone.

 

She heard Sam sigh on the end of the line. “ _It really is you_ ,” he breathed, as though he'd been waiting a lifetime for this call. “ _I'll be down in five minutes._ ”

 

The line went dead and Annabelle handed the receiver back to the woman. “He's on his way down. Thank you _so_ much for all your help.”

 

She turned on her heel and strode over to the set of chairs that lined the wall, leaving the woman to be reprimanded for her less than hospitable behaviour. She found it both funny and confusing. It was clear the woman disliked Sam but why? She'd have to find out, because as far as she could remember, Sam Carrol was a lovely man.

 

Only a few minutes passed before Annabelles attention was drawn to the mutterings at the end of the hall. A small group of people had congregated by a set of double doors, blocking the path from someone trying to exit. Annabelle could hear voices being raised and watched as the crowd dispersed, though it was clear that no one was pleased about evidently being ordered to move. A man dressed in dark blue scrubs was now stalking in her general direction, scanning the faces of everyone he passed until he stopped a few feet from her, recognition clear on his face.

 

“Annabelle?”

 

“Sam?” Annabelle questioned. He nodded.

 

Sam pulled her in to a lingering hug before holding her at arms length, like a Great Aunt greeting a niece at a distant relatives wedding. “You look amazing.”

 

Annabelle blushed before giving him a once over. “You look like a completely different person. No make-up?”

 

This was not the same person as the one who had taken care of her during her stay. Yes, people changed, but rather than ageing six years, Sam Carrol seemed to have aged twenty. While the unshaven appearance appealed to her age, it did nothing to draw attention away from the dark shadows under his eyes. His eyes no longer had a twinkle to them, instead they seemed dull, as if he  had been struggling with a great burden that had been placed upon his shoulders.

 

“I hit thirty,” he shrugged, as if it were that simple, that there was nothing more to it, but Annabelle could sense he wasn't being completely honest. “Decided it was time to act my age. Anyway, enough about me, how about you – how have you been?”

 

Now that was a question with many different answers. “I've been...” she paused, trying to figure out the right word to use. She sighed. “I've been good. To be honest, the last few years have been all different kinds of crazy. Still adjusting but... I think I'm getting there.”

 

“That's great. I'm happy for you.”

 

He genuinely did seem happy for her, which Annabelle was touched at, with it coming from someone she barely knew, Yet, at the same time, she felt as though she had known him all her life. She felt it the first time she met him; that sense of safety that makes her feel a though she could reveal her deepest darkest secrets to him. It was strange. She smiled at him, receiving one in return.

 

“What brings you back to London?”

 

The question threw her, but only for a moment. “In a few few days... it'll  be six years since the accident.” Sam's eye widened and he reached out to her but she shook her head. “This morning I laid flowers where she died and tomorrow I'll fly to Boston to visit her on her actual anniversary. I just wanted to come here and find you before I leave, to say thank you , again.”

 

“Sweetheart,” he said, embracing her. “You didn't need to do that. I was just doing my job.”

 

“But it was so much more than that,” she said, with as much conviction as she could muster. “And you know it.”

 

“Well,” Sam said, without really knowing how to respond. “It's nice to know my actions are appreciated.”

 

Annabelle saw the change in his demeanour.  The way his back stiffened, the slight darkening of his eyes and his apparent discomfort. Something was going on.

 

“Something wrong?”

 

Sam looked at her, about to shake his head but instead glanced around them, sighing. At his reaction, Annabelle did the same, now noticing their surroundings. Every few seconds, they were being glanced at, dirty looks thrown their way, mutterings aimed in their direction. Annabelle could tell by their appearances that every single one of them happened to work at the hospital. Some were just passing through, but others were standing and staring. It took her a good minute to realise that none of this was actually aimed at her. She looked at Sam, only to find him with his head down, shaking it. Whatever had happened in the last six years was big.

 

“Let's go outside.”

 

Annabelle grabbed Sam by the hand and pulled him from where they sat. She led them through the doors, down the street to the first coffee shop she could find, Sam trailing willingly along behind her. Nothing was said until they were sitting facing each other at a table in the back corner, a coffee before each of them. Annabelle kept her voice low. “There a reason everyone was staring at you like you'd just been sentenced for murder?”

 

“That obvious?”

 

Annabelle tilted her head at him. “How could it not be?”

 

Sam rubbed at his tired eyes. “You really don't need to trouble yourself, Annabelle. I can handle what they're saying, the way they act; don't concern yourself, please.”

 

“But I want to.” She felt compelled to help him – she really did. She couldn't explain it. Sam sighed.

 

“Some years back, I came in to a bit – well, actually, a hell of a lot - of money.” He sighed again and she groaned inwardly. She'd quickly learnt since entering Tonys life that having money brought more problems than not. Sam downed half of his coffee while looking at his watch. “I told anyone who asked that it was just inheritance, that it wasn't going to change who I was. About eight months later, I was straight out offered the job of Senior Staff Nurse over many of those who applied. They were always going to hire internally but I applied without expecting to get an interview let alone the job. There were others who'd been at the hospital longer, with more experience and yet for some reason they offered it to me outright... and everyone heard about it.” He drained the rest of his drink and pushed his cup away before giving out a harsh laugh. “As you can probably tell, no one was pleased – they all thought I bought myself the position.”

 

“And did you?”

 

“No I bloody hell did not!” Sam exclaimed, making to stand but Annabelle stopped him with a shake of her head. He collapsed back in to the chair. “Word travelled through my hospital and most of those closest to us. It's been a nightmare. People have quit, refused to work with me in protest and any new staff hear the rumours and make their minds up about me before they even set foot on my ward.”

 

“That's horrible,” Annabelle said, truly shocked by what she was hearing.

 

“I made a donation to the hospital but it wasn't in my name – it was completely anonymous. Yeah, they make my life difficult but I still do my job because I love it.” Sam sucked in a breath, calming himself down from where he'd been getting increasingly agitated. Annabelle couldn't blame him, not after everything she'd just heard. “I know I've done nothing wrong. I'm good at my job and those making the decision thought so to. At least I can sleep at night knowing my conscience is well and truly clear.”

 

Silence settled between them. His voice had been slightly raised while he'd been talking, causing the few patrons nearest to them to give them sporadic glances. Annabelle wasn't too concerned about them at the moment, she was too preoccupied with the man slowly unravelling in front of her. She wished she could call Pepper and ask her advice on his situation but she knew the woman was backed up in meetings all day. She was on her own with this one.

 

“Did you ever consider putting in for a transfer? Maybe starting somewhere new would have been beneficial.”

 

“Why should I?” Sam exploded, causing heads to turn. He covered his face with his hands. “I've worked incredibly hard for what I've got at St Thomas', Annabelle, and I sacrificed a lot to get it. I shouldn't be made to give it up.”

 

The last part was whispered and Annabelle instantly felt guilty at making the suggestion. “No, you shouldn't.” She reached out her hand, placing it on his arm. “You're right, I'm sorry.”

 

“Don't be.” He waved her off and gave her a tight smile. “I've always had other options, but I've never really entertained them because of Isaac... but I guess that doesn't really matter any more.”

 

“Who's Isaac?”

 

“My ex,” Sam said, a look of pure disgust on his face. “Cheated on me with _his_ ex, who he cheated on with me... I didn't know that at the time though. It's all very complicated and I'll need to consume copious amounts of alcohol before getting in to _that_.”

 

Annabelle nodded, not really knowing how to comment.

 

“So,” she said lightly. “There's nothing stopping you now?”

 

Sam sighed, shaking his head. “Not really. I see what you're doing.” Annabelle smiled, pleased that she'd at least got him thinking about it. “I'm settled here and I'd have to move – that's honestly the biggest thing putting me off.”

 

“To another part of London?” Annabelle assumed, shrugging. “That's not hard.”

 

Sam genuinely laughed at her, leading Annabelle to raise an eyebrow. “Not London, Love. Not even the United Kingdom. I'd have to move to another country. I'll get us another.”

 

“Ah,” Annabelle said as he left the table. She could see now why he'd been reluctant to entertain the offer before. Long distance isn't always an option for everyone and asking someone to move with you isn't always an option either. She was still thinking about it when Sam placed a fresh, steaming cup in front of her. “Thanks.”

 

He waved a hand at her and took his seat, pulling out his phone and typed at it for a minute before putting it away again and leaning back in his chair, eyes closed and sighed.

 

“You know, it's not as hard as it sounds... moving, I mean,” she said sipping at her drink. “And sometimes we have to do what's best for us and not for any one else.”

 

Sam cracked an eye open to stare at her, finally smiling and nodding his head, agreeing with her for the first time since they started the conversation. “Maybe you're right.”

 

“That has been known,” she said, sipping her coffee now with a smirk on her face. “Frequently as it happens.”

 

“That so?”

 

“So come on, tell me, this job offer – how long have they given you to make a decision?”

 

For reasons currently unknown to her, Sam suddenly looked very uncomfortable. He sat up straight in his chair again now, but kept his gaze trained on the napkin he was now fiddling with. “I've, um, had the offer for about six years or so,” he said glancing at her quickly in time to see her mouth drop open. He looked away again. “I'm pretty sure the offers indefinite; I've just never actually been in a position to check and find out.”

 

“Six years? Wow.” Annabelle was astonished as she lent back in her own chair. She'd never heard of a job offer being extended for that long before, even if it was because of ongoing negotiations – and that certainly wasn't what was happening in this instance. She was well and truly intrigued now. “Still with the NHS but on an international basis?” He shook his head. “What organisation?”

 

“A private one,” he said, though he continued to be coy with his answers. “Still in a medical capacity.”

 

“That's perfect!” Annabelle was giddy even thought this had nothing to do with her. “Is it a small organisation?”

 

“It's definitely not small,” Sam said, still evading giving too much away. “It's pretty well known.”

 

“Where is it based? Maybe I've heard of it.”

 

“Oh you've heard of it all right,” he muttered, but she still managed to hear him.

 

“Come on, then,” Annabelle pushed, her excitement for him coming through in full force. “Don't leave a girl in suspense.”

 

She had worn him down, they both knew it. Sam sighed. “Stark Relief Foundation.”

 

Annabelle froze. “Stark Relief what now?”

 

“Know it?” He tried to keep his voice light but neither of them were buying it.

 

“Know it -” She huffed and shook her head in disbelief. “As in my dads company?”

 

“Yes.”

 

She shook her head again. “I'm so confused right now. You said you were offered this six years ago?”

 

Sam nodded. “Day you were discharged I got home to find a very _very_ large cheque sitting on my kitchen counter, along with a note thanking me for taking care of you and saying there was a job open at Stark Relief Foundation if I ever wanted it.”

 

“Son of a bitch.” Annabelle pulled her phone from her pocket but paused before going any further. She wasn't exactly annoyed and she wasn't particularly surprised that Tony had done something like this, it wouldn't be the first time, and with it happening so long ago, there wasn't much that could be done about it now. She set the phone down on the table next to her cup and thought for a minute about what this could mean. This opportunity could be the answer to Sams problems... that was, of course, if he was really and truly willing to consider it. If it turned out that he did actually want it, she was sure Pepper or even Tony himself could get the whole thing sorted relatively quickly. She stared directly at Sam and narrowed her eyes slightly. “Did you ever actually consider it?”

 

He tilted his head at her, pondering the question a bit before answering. “A few times maybe, but never seriously. Like I said – _Isaac_.”

 

Good thing Isaac was no longer in the equation then, she thought. “How about now?”

 

He thought again. “I have nothing keeping me here, not really.” Annabelle noticed the moment the realisation of his statement fully hit him. He bit his lip. “Honestly? It's sounding like a pretty good idea at the moment.”

 

Annabelle nodded, mentally vowing to take charge of this for him, because clearly he needed more time to process this decision - there was a lot for him to consider, and it wasn't something that would be easy to just back out of... but at least getting the ball rolling just in case wouldn't hurt, right?”

 

“I need to -” she trailed off, picking up her phone and instantly pressing her contacts.

 

“Need to what?”

 

She looked up at him and smiled, a glint in her eye. “Call my Dad.”

* * *

 

After the battle of New York, the only letter remaining atop of Stark Tower was 'A', unintentionally but effectively renaming the building. It was a place the Avengers could reconvene between missions, should they wish to, before going their separate ways.  More often than not, it was where they all chose to spend majority of their time, settling on to the individual floors Tony had designed for them. Aside from Thor and Clint (both of whom preferred to stay for shorter periods of time), it was where each of them had come to call home. Tony would never admit it, and point blank deny it, but he secretly liked having them close by. They were sort of like a family. It was... comforting.

 

He, himself, was not always in the tower. He tried to equally split his time between both his families.  He and Pepper travelled to the Malibu mansion as often as they could, spending three weekends out of four there with a couple of days during the week if their schedules would allow it. When it was clear Tony needed to remain in New York for an extended period of time, Annabelle had decided against joining him. He had been disappointed at first, but also understood her need for freedom. She was an adult after all. So, the day he boarded his jet, he had gifted her the mansion to do as she wished. They all talked constantly, Tony sometimes donning the suit just to spend dinner with his daughter. They had a routine, and it worked for them.

 

Tony had changed since Annabelle entered his life. Everyone noticed, but, for the most part, it was just put down to him finally growing up and the influence of his relationship with Pepper. No one had suspected the appearance of a daughter that he tried so hard not to disappoint or let down. When she first arrived, there were a few photos of the two of them together that had somehow been obtained from the airport and even one or two from their time together in Boston. Tony had had JARVIS wipe them from the web. The possibility of being thrown into the limelight had scared Annabelle, especially so soon after entering each others lives, and Tony had gone above and beyond to make sure that didn't happen. Luckily, it hadn't. Tony, however, couldn't stay out of the front pages, the rest of the Avengers joining him.

 

The group of them, minus Thor (who was presumably on Asgard), were currently en route back to the tower, which according to Clints recent estimation, would be in about thirty minutes. They'd been sent by Fury to retrieve data stolen by a former associate of SHIELD, the person in question having hacked in to the servers with the intention of potentially leaking the secrets and identities of every Agent ever in service. It had been a simple task – or so they thought. The man had been ready for them and the whole thing had turned dirty very quickly. Tony was sure the bruises would take weeks to fade. It had ended in their favour though, when did it not? The data had been recovered and the man was safely in SHIELD custody. Fury would be a very happy man but all the lot of them  craved now was to get back to the seclusion they tower offered. Tony had allowed Clint to pilot the quinjet home before the man even had to ask, choosing to mentally debate with himself over whether or not to call Annabelle.

 

Very Late May to mid June was a difficult time for the young woman, and was the one time of year he worried about her more than usual. The last couple had been easier for her but the first few  haf been especially hard. With what she had chosen to do this year, Tony couldn't help but worry about her even more. He completely understood her need to go back to London alone but he wished she had at least allowed Happy to accompany her. She had said no, of course, before he had even brought the suggestion up. She had come to know him very well in recent years. He even refrained from sending the man in secret to follow her, knowing that if she found out it would be a very big betrayal on both his and Happys part, one that he didn't think she'd forgive easily. He would have felt better about her going it alone if her could track her every move and pinpoint her exact location but he had promised her years ago that he wouldn't do that, and for the most part, he didn't. JARVIS was programmed to know where she was at all times, same as Pepper, and the AI would only ever give him a general idea of her location should he have reason to do so. This wasn't something Tony could control, and that he was something he would never get used to.

 

Before long they were touching down on the helipad and the door opening for them to disembark. Tony wasn't the only one who groaned when he stood, Bruce having felt the affects of sitting for too long. The Hulk hadn't been needed, but Bruce had come along just in case, remaining in the jet until his teammates came back. They all made their way in to the tower, depositing their weapons in the designated area ready to be taken down to the respective quarters. Bruce set about making them all something to drink, while everyone else set themselves on the many chairs littering the common area. Tony however, wondered through to the kitchen, checking his phone, only to find nothing of interest displaying on the screen.

 

“We should debrief with Fury, this was a SHIELD matter.”

 

Tony didn't even bother to look up before shaking his head at Steve. The man couldn't even even them a chance to rest before getting straight down to business. Tony decided to let the man fret a little before informing him he'd already had JARVIS send a full report of everything that had happened in apprehending their target the moment they boarded the jet.

 

“Fury can wait,” Clint said as he clapped Steve on the back and walked to one of the kitchen cabinets. “I need to eat.”

 

“And shower,” Nat called to him, making Tony snigger. Clint just turned and gave her the finger before continuing his quest of finding food.

 

“Fine,” Steve said, relenting once he realised his fight was futile. “But we meet with him in a few hours. Agreed?”

 

There was a collective mumble of agreement that Tony didn't join in with. He was too busy staring down at his phone, once again debating whether or not to call his daughter. She had let him know she had arrived safely in London the previous night but he hadn't heard from her since. He knew she would have a lot on her mind, and that was exactly why he was worried. He just wanted to know that she was okay, that she was coping with being back in the place where the life she had known had fallen apart.

 

“Stark?”

 

“Yeah,” Tony glanced up briefly at Steve to find him staring at him with an eyebrow raised. Tony waved a hand at him. “Fine, whatever, you're the boss. JARVIS?”

 

“ _Yes, Sir?_ ”

 

“Any calls for me?” Tony already knew the answer, but it was always better to double check.

 

“ _I'm afraid not, Sir_.”

 

Tony sighed. He wondered if Pepper had heard from Annabelle at all. “Where's Pepper?”

 

“ _The nineteenth floor, Sir._ ”

 

Tony winced, Pepper being there was never a good thing. That was the one floor you never wanted the CEO of a company to go to... things never ended well when that happened. Steve had seen the wince, as had everyone else. He aimed his question to Natasha.

 

“What's on the nineteenth?”

 

With a smirk on her face, Natasha answered. “Personnel.”

 

Clint laughed from where he was now sitting in front of the TV, brandishing a slice of toast at Tony, acting as though he was a disappointed father. “And who have you managed to piss off this time?”

 

“Funny,” Tony said, rolling his eyes as the others joined Clint in laughter. “Did you come up with that one all by yourself? Here, have a candy bar.” He tossed the bar of chocolate he picked up from the counter at Clints head, the man catching it with no effort at all. “What about Anna, J?”

 

“Who's Anna?” Tony could tell Clint wasn't the only one who wanted that question answered. After all, her name had never been mentioned in front of any of them before. He ignored him.

 

“ _Sir?_ ”

 

“Come on, I don't want her exact co-ordinates,” Tony pleaded, earning himself bewildered looks. “Just a general idea.”

 

“ _Very well, Sir. Miss Cooper is still in London; she's scheduled on a flight out at nine tomorrow morning, her time_.”

 

“Now was that so hard?”

 

“Does Pepper know about this Anna?”

 

Tony ignored Clint again. “Download her flight plan, and see if Gina will meet her at the airport.” He knew he was pushing it but he knew JARVIS would refuse if the AI didn't think it necessary. Thankfully, he was playing ball.

 

“ _Of course, Sir,_ ”

 

That, at least, did something to ease his mind. He knew Annabelle was looking forward to seeing her Godmother again, the last time being months ago when he'd flew her in to surprise Annabelle for New Years. The look on her face when Gina had stepped up behind her was priceless and they'd ended up hugging through the countdown.

 

Tony was aware of someone coming to stand very close to him and he turned to raise an eyerbow at Steve. “Yes, Capsicle?

 

“You're hiding something.”

 

Tony had to refrain from laughing. “I'm always hiding something. Your point?”

 

“We're a team, Stark.”

 

Tony stood straight, even though he was nowhere near a match for Steves height. Just because they were a team didn't mean they needed to know everything about each other, and this was definitely something that was currently none of the man's business. “And my life is personal,” Tonys voice was sharp, and it gained interest from the rest of those present. “Certain aspects of which I do happen to prefer being kept private.”

 

“Are you cheating on Ms Potts?”

 

Tony stood with his mouth agape, as did the others, but he could tell that the others seemed to wondering this to. He didn't even know how to begin to answer that question, being far too shocked that it had come out of Steves mouth to begin with.

 

“ _Sir, Miss Cooper is on the line._ ”

 

How was that for timing? Tony narrowed his eyes at Steve, the other man not even flinching. “I'll take it in my lab.” He left them all wondering what was going on and made his way down one floor to his personal lab, the one only he had access to. As soon as he stepped in to the room, JARVIS opened the call for him. He settled himself in to his desk chair, sighing. “Hey, Kid.”

 

“ _You sound tired._ ”

 

Tony smiled at hearing her voice. She sounded fine. “I don't get tired.”

 

He could hear the smile in her voice. “ _You're just always too stubborn to admit you are._ ”

 

They both laughed at how true that statement was. There was a brief few seconds of silence before Tony broke it. “Miss you. How you doing?”

 

Again there was silence. “ _I'm okay. It's just strange being here again, you know?_ ” Tony nodded even though he knew she couldn't see him. “ _I'm near St Thomas' at the moment._ ”

 

“The hospital?” Tony questioned. He had no idea she was planning to go there. He could guess why she'd gone there, and he probably should of figure it out. “I thought you were only going to Trafalgar Square?”

 

“ _Last minute decision. Speaking of which,_ ” she said and Tony had a pretty good idea where this was going and he groaned quietly. “ _Do you remember Sam Carrol?_ ”

 

“Nurse that took care of you,” Tony replied automatically. It was going there. JARVIS brought up everything they had gathered on the man over the years on the screen in front of Tony. Tony knew one day Annabelle would do this, it was the type of person she was, he was just waiting for the moment. He briefly scanned it, finding his currently employment. “There's a chance he might still be employed there.”

 

“ _Have you, by any chance, been keeping tabs on him?_ ”

 

Busted. “No comment.” He knew she knew he had been, he was too obvious. “Why do you ask?”

 

“ _Because he's sitting right next to me._ ”

 

“Oh.” At this point in time, Tony really wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not. There were a few things he'd been keeping from her.

 

“ _We've just had a very interesting conversation._ ”

 

“That so?”

 

“ _Listen, Dad,_ ” Tony smiled, he did so every time she called him that. The first time she did so was when she had a fever so high, Tony honestly considered donning the suit and flying her to the nearest hospital himself, but Pepper had stopped him. Annabelle had been nearing twenty at the time. “ _I'm not gonna say anything about you tracking a man you had a two minute conversation with, or that you paid him a god awful amount of money years ago because, quite frankly, it's in you nature to do so and nothing I say is going to stop you from doing it again._ ”

 

Tony laughed. She really did know him so well. “Then how can I help you, Sweetpea?”

 

Annabelle giggled down the line. It was the nickname he used for her whenever she'd caught him out in doing something he shouldn't have been. “ _That job you offered him; is it still available?_ ”

 

Tony thought back, remembering when he'd first had JARVIS look in to the man who had made such an impression on Annabelle that he'd written a cheque, along with a note, and had Happy break in to the man in questions apartment. To be honest, Tony didn't really think the man would ever look in to it, but he still always made sure to have a position open. Without even needing to be prompting, JARVIS brought up the SRF database, scanning the list of open positions. “You need it to be?”

 

“ _I think it's a fair possibility._ ” There was something in her voice that told Tony it wasn't just a possibility, and that it was something she did need from him.

 

“I can have Pepper draw up some paperwork. It'll be with him by the end of the week to read through and we'll go from there. Everything after that I can have rushed through.”

 

“ _Thank you,_ ” Annabelle said softly.

 

“Anything for you, Annabelle.” Tony cleared his throat. “When will you be home?”

 

“ _I'm coming to New York for my birthday._ ”

 

That was still almost a week away but Tony couldn't moan. He expected her to want to spend in with Gina this year. “Okay. Love you, Anna.”

 

“ _Love you to, Dad._ ”

 

They ended the call but Tony remained where he sat. She sounded as though she was handling the time of year better than she had done previously. It seemed that, she was being preoccupied with whatever the reason behind her asking for the job at SRF to be open. He was glad that she was coping, in her own way. He stayed sitting, not wanted to go back to the common area and be bombarded by more questions that he wouldn't answer, and besides, Anna had been right – he was tired. Tony closed his eyes, intending to nap in his desk chair, only for JARVIS to interrupt him seconds later.

 

“ _Sir, your presence is required upstairs._ ”

 

Tony groaned but dragged himself out of his seat and left his lab. He could only imagine what his group of misfits needed now.

 

“What's going o-”

 

Whatever if had thought it could be, was nothing compared to what he found himself faced with. Upon reaching them, he found every single one of their attention focused on the now paused TV, the TV that was showing a very clear picture of Tony and Annabelle walking on the private beach attached to the Malibu mansion. It showed Annabelle with carefree laughter on her face with Tony having his arm slung over her shoulders, kissing her hair. He remembered the day, a couple of weeks ago now. How the hell had this been taken without either of their knowledge.

 

They were all staring at the stony expression now on Tonys face. Bruce came and stood next to Tony, staring between him and the TV. “Tony, who exactly is Annabelle Cooper?”


	10. Chapter 10

“Who exactly is Annabelle Cooper?”

 

Bruce’s words repeated over and over in his mind for the solid minute he remained unmoving where he stood. Why was this happening now? Why now when he knew it would affect Annabelle the most, and who the hell had given the press his daughters name? It couldn’t have been anyone close to her, they would have known better. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the TV; the clear, unmistakable image of him and Annabelle frozen on the screen for anyone and everyone to see. All the hard work he’d done, measures he’d set up, effort he’d gone to in an attempt to ensure the world didn’t find out per her request. Everything set up undone by one single published photograph not caught in time. He’d have to have a discussion at length with JARVIS about how it had managed to slip through the protocols he’d set up… but that was something to focus on later. Tony felt the eyes of everyone on him, watching him, when he finally spoke, his voice dry and hoarse.

 

“J play the TV,” Tony muttered and held his breath as the screen came to life, the image still unmoving as an unidentified male voice accompanied it.

 

“ _The mysterious woman pictured here with none other than Tony Stark, has now been named as Annabelle Cooper. We’ve been told that the image was taken about two, or possibly even three, weeks ago but was only sent in to our team in the past hour or so. Our team of experts studying the image believe she’s only in her early twenties, no older than twenty-one or two. No more information on Miss Cooper has been released. If this is to be believed and understood, it would make Miss Cooper almost twenty years his junior. The question everyone here in the studio and at home are now asking is – who is this woman?_ ”

 

The screen changed to two well-dressed people, a man and a woman, sitting across from each other at a table in a brightly lit studio. The image of he and Annabelle was projected now on to a range of several smaller screens, creating almost a semi-circle like pattern surrounding the two newsreaders. Tony’s jaw locked in to place as he forced himself to keep his gaze focused solely on the TV, only too aware of his teammates eyes trained on him for his reaction. He didn’t need to see them too know they were staring him down, he could _feel_ it. He didn’t like this, he didn’t like it at all. The female newsreader spoke now, switching between looking at the camera and looking to her co-presenter.

 

“ _I’m sure viewers at home remember that, around this time back in ‘oh nine, Tony Stark was pictured a few times over a very short period of a single day with a much younger woman. To everyone, it was as though once out there for the world to see, those pictures suddenly seemed to disappear exceptionally quickly. It was almost seeming as though they’d never been released in the first place, wouldn’t you at home agree? Could this be the be the very same woman as from six years ago resurfacing now?_ ”

 

With the image still visible in the background, the camera angle switched to focus on the man as he spoke now. He almost looked… smug?

 

“ _I almost don’t want it to be, because if it is, then we are looking at the potential possibility of an adult male and an underage girl_ -”

 

“Turn. It. Off,” Tony growled, fists clenched tightly as his sides.

 

Tony wasn’t sure if it was one of the team or JARVIS who had switched the news report off, but it didn’t matter, and he didn’t care. He just couldn’t stomach hearing the man finish his sentence, if he had... Tony felt sickened, disgusted about what he’d just heard. Is that really how people saw him? Did he really come across as the type of person that could engage in a paedophilic relationship with someone so young? He knew he had a reputation years ago, but hadn’t he changed his ways enough. Never once before had he given the press reason to suspect he would engage in… _that_. Tony physically shook as he thought to the things that were being insinuated, being _said_ about him and his _daughter_. None of the others spoke, all waiting for him to say something, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t give them anything, couldn’t give them what they wanted. He was frozen, incapable of voicing anything out of pure shock and disgust. It was a few minutes of nothing before he registered movement out of the corner of his eye beside him, Bruce coming to stand close enough to dare to place a hand on his shoulder.

 

“Tony?”

 

Tony snapped then, the spell of silence being broken. Shrugging Bruce’s hand off sharply and backing away from his friend, Tony shook his head. “JARVIS,” he called, his voice far from steady as he began pacing. “I want to know who the fuck had the audacity to publish that photo and give out her name. I want the bastards _buried_.”

 

“ _Looking for them now, Sir,_ ” the ever-faithful AI responded immediately, and Tony knew it would only be a matter of minutes before he had the answers he needed. He couldn’t even feel smug about it, it wasn’t the time to marvel in his genius. “ _Should I inform Ms Potts?_ ”

 

Pepper. He would need every ounce of Pepper’s knowledge and power of press to contain the mess before it got out of hand. There would be no coming back from it if it did, it wouldn’t matter whether the truth was told or not, there was a high chance it wouldn’t be believed. Tony nodded, still pacing. “Oh yeah. Yeah, I’m gonna need her to run interference to try and get this contained because once the vultures dig their claws in... Have her come up here and we can discuss it in my lab. Don’t say why though, I need her to hear it from me directly. Just say its urgent matter and I need her now, J.”

 

“ _Very well, Sir,_ ” JARVIS said. The AI paused momentarily before speaking again. “ _Would you also like me to contact Miss Cooper while you wait?_ ”

 

Shit. Tony was so focused on being concerned about damage control that he had missed one vital thing, and probably the biggest and most important thing in the whole situation – Annabelle. It was safe to assume that she would be yet to know about this, given that she was currently in London undoubtedly uninterested in anything other than her mother and rearranging her new nurse friend’s life. For the first time since she’d gotten on the plane, he was glad. He knew it wouldn’t take long, however, for her to find out what was going on. Once she was back in the States, where her face would be plastered on every gossip column and celebrity newsroom, it would be exceptionally hard to keep this from her… but if he could keep her out of the loop while they attempted to control the situation… Tony shook his head, knowing it would _not_ be in his daughters’ best interests to inform her of the impending doom they would both be facing before he knew all the facts.

 

“No, it’s too close to…” he stopped himself from continuing, remembering present company and their lack of need to know. He shook his head again, continuing to pace, though the speed increased from before. “No, J, not with everything she’s got going on at the moment. It’ll be too much for her and I don’t want her dealing with more than she, not with what’s happening this week.”

 

“ _Very well, Sir._ ” Tony could tell JARVIS wasn’t in agreement and obviously believed he wasn’t making the right call, but he couldn’t argue with his AI now - he had more pressing matters at hand. “ _Ms Potts will be with you in two minutes._ ”

 

Tony’s pacing just increased with speed the more agitated he got. He needed to try and calm himself, get his blood pressure down, not wanting to tempt having an anxiety attack in the middle of his teammates. He paid no attention to any of the others in the room, trying to control his rapid breathing. He was so focused on his turmoil and blocking the others out that he failed to notice his teammates muttering behind his back. It was only when a grunt came from Clint being hit in the stomach that Tony remembered they were there.

 

“A teenager, Tony,” Clint asked, dodging another elbow from Natasha. He glared at Tony with a disapproving look that he found could only rival his fathers. “Really?”

 

Tony ignored him. He didn’t want to rise to the bait, instead choosing to run through the countless ways this situation could blow up in both his and Anna’s faces. There were many, many ways.

 

“So, you are cheating?” Steve, it seemed, decided now was the time to approach him, standing tall with an air of authority as he crossed his arms over his chest.  If Tony thought Clint’s look was bad, it was nothing compared to Steve’s, not that he found himself caring of course, what with much bigger things to worry about than the opinion of Captain America. “I thought you’d changed from the man you were.”

 

Tony froze at the Captain’s words, rounding on him. He was about to respond, a mixture of anger, betrayal and hurt bubbling in his chest, but he stopped himself. He realised not that no matter how much he attempted to defend himself, no matter how much he pleaded his innocence; he knew nothing he said at the present time would change the way he was currently thought of by the people standing around him. Well, he briefly thought, revealing the whole truth about him having a secret daughter could, but there was no way he would be doing that without consulting Anna first… and he wouldn’t be doing that until _after_ her mother’s anniversary.

 

“Tony are – are they – have they -” Bruce stammered, and Tony turned slowly to face him. At least Bruce had the decency to look guilty as he accused Tony. “Have they got that right?”

 

Had Tony been a weaker man, the disappointment and confusion being displayed on Bruce’s face would have broken him. Instead Tony stood in front of his friend, his breathing all but evened out, and air of betrayal filtering between them. He couldn’t decide what was worse, the accusations coming from Bruce or Steve. He fought to keep his voice neutral, refusing to show any further emotion to those he believed to be his friends. Evidently, he would have to reassess.

 

“How can you even think that of me?”

 

He could sense someone shifting ever so slightly behind him. Whether it be because Clint was starting to feel guilty himself for his assumption or not Tony wasn’t sure, and didn’t really care at this point in time, the damage from their comments had already been done. Tony narrowed his eyes. Clint’s voice had lost its edge, but the disbelieving tone was still there. “Well, with what we’ve just heard…”

 

Tony could only stare between the two, holding himself back from making remarks he knew he would come to regret. Luckily, Natasha decided to come forward, standing in front of Tony and holding her hands up between Bruce and Clint, acting as a barrier.

 

“Tony doesn’t go after younger women,” Nat said, turning to face Tony, a glint in her eye and a minuscule smirk playing on her lips, letting him know that she was, in fact, on his side. “Not anymore at least.”

 

Tony had a distinct feeling Natasha knew the truth. In fact, he wouldn’t actually be surprised if she did, he’d be rather disappointed – she was the resident spy after all. He felt somewhat relieved that he had at least one person in the room fighting his corner. He wasn’t able to question her though, because from behind him the elevator dinged and the familiar sounds of Peppers heels connecting against the tiled floor alerted them to her arrival.

 

“Tony!” she called, as soon as he was in her sight. Everyone turned to her. Her cheeks were flushed from being summoned and her hair was slightly out of place. “What the hell is going on? You have no idea the shit I’m having to deal with downstairs.”

 

“Whatever shit it is can wait.” Tony met her halfway, steering her back towards the elevator, before anyone else had the chance to speak, ignoring her protests of being manhandled. “We’ve got problems – very big problems.”

 

They all stared as the two disappeared, muttering to each other, in to the elevator. There was no doubt Tony was filling Pepper in about everything that had happened in the last ten minutes. Even after the doors has closed and the two were no longer in earshot, the group remained in silence, themselves marvelling over what had happened. Aside from Natasha, who had moved off to make herself a drink, none of them really knew what to say or how to react. Natasha watched, sipping her drink, as the three men exchanged glances.

 

“Well,” Bruce said, finally breaking the awkward and uncomfortable silence. He shifted from foot to foot. “That was…”

 

“I can’t believe he’d do that,” Steve said with slight anger in his voice.

 

Natasha sighed and let out a small laugh, drawing the attention to herself as she re-joined them. She clapped Steve on the back as she reached him. “He’s not cheating on Pepper, Steve. Trust me – she would know if he was.”

 

A quick glance at Clint, one that would be unmissable to the untrained eye, had the archer gasping. It shocked both Bruce and Steve, who had returned to silence. Clint made for Natasha, but she slipped easily away from him, heading for the elevator herself now.

 

“You know, don’t you?” Clint demanded, the other two finally catching on with wide eyes. “Tell us.”

 

“No doubt you’ll be hearing it from the man himself soon enough,” Nat called over her shoulder, stepping in to the now waiting elevator, Clint hot on her heels.

 

“Nat!” Clint called, getting there just in time for the doors to close in his face, obscuring a grinning Nat from view. “Natasha!”

 

Clint took off to the stairs, determination to find out what Natasha knew for himself fuelling his fire. Bruce and Steve exchanged a glance, shrugging at each other before following the archer at a more leisurely, less urgent, pace.

* * *

 

Annabelle had ended up inviting Sam back to her hotel suite, spending the few hours before the end of his shift embarking on a spot of retail therapy. She wasn’t usually a big shopped, but as she strolled through the streets of London. There were a fair few stores that happened to take her fancy. She had met back up with Sam as the end of his shift, finding him waiting outside for her. She wasted no time in pulling him in to a bone crushing hug, much to the shock of those standing close to them. Annabelle had taken them back to her suite, ordered room service and together they watched countless films, finishing four bottles of wine and 3 boxes of chocolates between them. The night had ended with them both passing out, side by side on the king size bed, about two o’clock in the morning.

 

Room service had been pre-ordered for five, and it had come bang on the hour, waking the two very hungover and sleep-deprived occupants of the room. They ate in silence, neither of them wanting to move too much for fear of it aggravating the bands performing in their hands. Annabelle was ready, though sluggish, to leave by six, ensuring Sam he would be fine to stay and sleep it off. On her way out, she spoke to the manager, extending the rooms stay till Sam was ready to leave.

 

Her flight was delayed by an hour but once they were finally in the air, Annabelle drifted off and slept until one of the flight attendants shook her shoulder gently and said they’d be landing in half an hour. She’d travelled light to London, only requiring a carry-on. Anything she’d bought while out the day before was being shipped straight to California. She didn’t want to have to lug it all round Boston and then New York with her. Landing went smoothly and with being one of the fortunate ones in first class, Annabelle was one of the first off the plane. She smiled to herself as she passed those waiting for their luggage – oh the joys of hand luggage.

 

“Anna!”

 

Annabelle spun round, looking for the familiar voice that had called her name. It took her a few minutes to search through the sea of people but Annabelle finally locked eyes with her Godmother as she called her name again. “Anna!”

 

“Gina!” Annabelle called in surprise, pushing her way gently through the crowd in to Gina’s waiting arms. “What are you doing here? I thought we were meeting for dinner.”

 

“We were,” Gina said, gripping Annabelle in a tight hug, releasing her after a full minute. “But Tony messaged yesterday asking if I’d come and meet you. He arranged a car and everything.”

 

Annabelle rolled her eyes, swatting Gina’s hands away as she tried to take her bag. “Of course, he did.”

 

“He worries about you,” Gina said softly, leading the young woman to a waiting car. “Especially at this time of year, Anna.”

 

Annabelle sighed as she slid in the car, Gina following and the driver pulling away as soon as they were buckled in. “I know he does; I just didn’t expect this. It’s a lovely surprise, don’t get me wrong.” Annabelle sighed again, looking at Gina expectantly. “What else has he arranged?”

 

Gina being Gina wasted no time in revealing the extent of Tony’s arrangements. “The car is yours till your flight to New York, complete with the lovely driver. Let’s see… He’s made reservations for dinner tonight at some swanky place that’s far too posh for the likes of us _and_ the bills already been taken care of.”

 

Annabelle tutted but they fell in to silence. She knew her dad would do this once she was back stateside, before she could tell him not to. The journey to Gina’s apartment from the airport took just over an hour and in that time, Annabelle explained the time she spent with Sam, Gina agreeing that the man’s colleague’s treatment of him was unfair. They laughed about how Anna had spent the night, Gina commenting on her being a lightweight compared to her at that age. They were still a ten minutes’ drive away when Annabelle shifted just enough to partially face her Godmother.

 

“How’s the divorce going?”

 

Gina’s eyes darkened but she scoffed and let out a harsh laugh, her voice laced with bitterness. “Twenty years together, nine of those married. All the shit we went through for her to turn around and say I’m not entitled to anything? Well, the fucking bitch will be in for a hell of a surprise when she’s told I’m taking her for _everything_ – including the fish.”

 

Annabelle knew almost all of what Gina had been through with her soon to be ex-wife. Gina’s parents had disowned her the moment she came out to them as bisexual. Kirsten’s family had taken her in as one of theirs, but it just had never been the same. They’d overcome a hell of a lot of backlash before they got married and it only got worse from there. Initially, they’d wanted kids and it had taken a lot of blood sweat and tears to be able to afford just one round of IVF with a sperm donor. Gina had lost the baby at thirteen weeks. Two more miscarriages followed before Gina decided she couldn’t put her body through anymore and when Kirsten refused point blank to carry, they’d turned to surrogacy. That had failed twice, and the birth parents pulling out of the adoption two years ago had been the catalyst to the downfall of their marriage. Annabelle took hold of her Godmothers hand, squeezing it gently.

 

“But you never like the fish.”

 

Gina grinned, wiping the lone tear from the corner of her eye. “I know.”

 

They broke in to laughter, only stopping when they pulled up outside the apartment she’d kicked Kirsten out of. The driver brought Annabelle’s bag to the porch, giving her his number and saying he’ll be back to pick them up for dinner. Inside, Gina had already kicked off her shoes and cracked open the wine, pouring both a generous helping, practically filling the glass. Annabelle laid on one couch, Gina the other. Annabelle took in the room, noticing the absence of all images of Kirsten. She shook her head.

 

“I’m never getting married.”

 

Gina sighed, looking at where her wedding photo used to stand. “Marriage isn’t all bad.”

 

Annabelle grinned at her, tilting her glass in Gina’s direction. “Say’s the woman going through a bitter divorce.”

 

Gina laughed. “Touché.”

* * *

 

At dinner, yet more alcohol flowed, though Annabelle stopped after her fourth glass. Gina didn’t stop, but Annabelle knew how the woman could hold her drink. Too many nights had been spent witnessing her mother and Gina drinking on a night they both had free. They’d ended up getting back to Gina’s just after midnight, both passing out on the couches they’d been on earlier.

 

By the time Annabelle had woken, Gina had already laid breakfast out on the bar and a freshly brewed coffee placed under her nose. It was a few minutes before she realised the date.

 

Annabelle froze. It was the first year she hadn’t instantly realised the date, and her mother wasn’t the first thing on her mind. She sat, tears slowly sipping down her cheeks. She knew Gina was talking to her, but she wasn’t hearing it – she was too busy feeling guilty for not instantly remembering her mother on her anniversary.

 

“… but first – Annabelle?”

 

“It’s been six years, Gina.” Annabelle closed her eyes, leaning back against the couch. Gina came to sit beside her, wrapping her arms round the young woman’s shoulders.

 

“I know, baby girl, I know,” Gina said softly, running her fingers through Annabelle’s hair. “The flowers you ordered arrived not long before you woke up. Do you want to head straight there?”

 

Annabelle nodded and moved off to get ready without saying a word. She was back downstairs within fifteen minutes, wearing a simple sundress and sandals. The car arrived less than ten minutes after Gina called, and with the flowers loaded in to the front seat, the two women settled in to the back. They’d only been driving a few minutes when Annabelle started speaking.

 

“I met the father of the man who died with mom.” Gina looked at her, shock on her face. “He was there, at the corner we crashed, remembering his son. At least I think it was him; the timeline fit.”

 

“Did he know who you were, did you tell him?”

 

Annabelle shook her head. “I don’t think so and no, I didn’t, it didn’t come up. I didn’t want to say anything either. We were both there for a reason… it was just weird we were there on the same day, that’s all.”

 

“That’s crazy.”

 

They lapsed in to silence again for the remaining five minutes’ drive. Once the driver parked, he instantly got out, closing his door and leaning against it, giving the two sometime alone. Annabelle gave herself a nod and stepped out, taking the flowers from the front before joining Gina, who now had a large bag in hand. They walked together down the path, arms linked at the elbows, to where Annabelle’s mother was buried. It didn’t take them long, only a few minutes, and neither of them spoke along the way. One look at the headstone baring her mother’s name and Annabelle stopped, tears slipping down her cheeks at the sight. The stone itself was starting show signs of weather damage, overgrowing weeds and dead flowers littering the bottom of the stone and the surrounding grass. Excrement from birds and other wildlife made the site seem unloved, uncared for. She felt guilty as she bent down to remove a few of the leaves from the base of the stone. This was her mother’s final resting place… yet it looked like this?

 

“I come as often as I can,” Gina said, kneeling down beside her and helping to remove the old and dried flowers. “Not as often as I like but I do come when I can.”

 

“I haven’t been since March,” Annabelle muttered, kneeling now and yanking at the weeds. “I should be coming all the time.”

 

“You live in California,” Gina reminded her.

 

“I should still try and come more often,” Annabelle maintained. She looked down at her now muddy fingers and realised she was wildly unprepared for the task at hand. “I don’t have anything with me to clean this.”

 

“Luckily, I came prepared.”

 

Gina dragged the large bag she’d brought over to them, pulling out everything they would need to clear the area, tidy it up and make it something the woman they were there for would be proud of. She handed Annabelle a pair of gardening gloves, taking a pair for herself, along with two aprons to protect their clothes, sponges, clothes and sprays to clean the headstone. Annabelle accepted it all graciously, thankful Gina had thought of everything she had forgotten. They worked together to completely clear the small area of dead leaves, twigs and flowers, the headstone of dirt, muck and grime. It took a while, almost an hour and a half, but they finally got the grave looking presentable again, with the flowers Annabelle ordered neatly placed along the base of the headstone. The lettering on the stone stood out now, and as Annabelle stepped back, it was now clear who it belonged to. Annabelle stripped off the gloves, tossing them to the ground before taking off the apron, turning it over and using the clean side to sit on. Gina did the same and the two sat side by side, just staring.

 

“I’m going to get us something to drink,” Gina said, standing again and heading back to the path.

 

Annabelle knew she was doing it to give her some time alone and again, she was grateful for her Godmother. She dusted off her hands and folded her legs under her.

 

“So, Dad created yet another suit…”

 

Annabelle didn’t know how long she spent detailing the events of the last few months, but it was longer than the average person took to get a drink. She went through breaking up with her boyfriend of four months, Gina’s impending divorce and finding Sam in London. She voiced her internal debate over whether or not to move to New York with Tony and Pepper, something which she hadn’t discussed with anyone. It wasn’t that she didn’t like living in the Malibu mansion anymore... it was just too big for one person. It was starting to feel lonely. It felt lifting to get it off her chest, just saying it out loud cemented her decision, and now she vowed to bring it up to Tony when she got to New York. Gina had been gone about half an hour she Annabelle heard the woman coming up behind her, a bottle of water appearing over her head and in front of her face.

 

“Water?”

 

“Thanks,” Anna said, accepting the drink and downing the entire thing, not realising how thirsty she was. Gina handed her another. She slipped it slower this time.

 

“She’d be proud you know,” Gina said, smiling sadly at Annabelle. “Everything that got thrown at you in the last six years you’ve just dealt with and steamrolled ahead. You’re strong, just like her.”

 

“But without her guidance, and a part of me would rather fail with her by side than succeed without her.”

 

“Nothing can change what happened.”

 

“I know,” Annabelle said, wiping her eyes. “I don’t know what I’m doing with my life, Gina. I majored in Psychology, but I have no idea where to go with it.”

 

“You don’t have to rush in to anything, not until you feel ready.”

 

“You’re not gonna ask me for my five-year plan?” Annabelle said, smiling slightly.

 

“Do you have one?” Gina asked.

 

Annabelle gave little laugh. “No? I heard Dad and Pepper talking a while back about offering me a position at SI, but I just don’t know what I want. I don’t want any success I have in life just to come from Dad.”

 

“That’s understandable,” said Gina, nodding. “Do you have any ideas?”

 

Annabelle sighed. “A few, I think? I know I want to do something in Mom’s memory, not sure what yet but it’ll take a few years at least to set whatever I do up. I’m gonna do some charity work for the next few months you know? I’ll set some volunteering lined up until I – what?”

 

Gina’s face changed in to something of a mixture of fear, unease and also somewhat sympathetic. She tried to school her expression but failed miserably. “Nothing.”

 

“Gina.”

 

Gina bit her lip. “I’m just… I’m just not sure right now is the time to be throwing your name out there with charity work…”

 

“Okay, one minute you’re asking me what I plan on doing and then the next you’re steering me away from the one thing I’m actually set on?” Annabelle was beyond confused. “What is going on, Gina?”

 

“I knew you hadn’t heard,” Gina sighed, hanging her head as she shook it. “I knew you hadn’t the moment you didn’t mention it.”

 

“Heard what?” Annabelle questioned. “What are you talking about?”

 

“This isn’t something I want to discuss with you here,” Gina said.

 

She stood and gathered everything back in to the bag, motioning Annabelle to follow. She walked off, leaving the younger woman to jog to keep up. They made it back to the car, the driver moving to open the doors. Gina whispered something to him and he nodded, but her bag in the trunk and walked away, confusing Annabelle even more. Gina stepped in her side, closing the door and Annabelle had no choice but to follow suit.

 

“Spill.”

 

Gina pulled out her phone, pulling something up on the screen but held it away from Annabelle. “You haven’t been on Twitter or read the newspapers or anything?”

 

“Gina, I haven’t even checked my phone since I got on the plane in London, I’m pretty sure it’s currently dead at yours and I’ll have a tonne of missed calls from Tony.”

 

“Anna…” Gina said softly, turning her phone round to show the image that had been released of Annabelle Tony, and the string of comments beneath it. “Somehow… the press got hold of this photo of you and Tony walking on the beach. I’m not sure if it was a pap or just someone random that managed to get in the area but it’s out there now and everyone has seen it. There’re rumours, Anna, about who you are… and they’re not about you being his daughter.”

 

“You what?” Annabelle said, confused. She took the phone from Gina, reading the comments. It was sickening. She exited the page and searched for more, bring up article upon article of people speculating who she was and her relationship to Tony. It seemed not one person seemed to think they were related by blood. “They think I’m – that he’s – oh _God._ I’m gonna be sick.”

 

“Breathe, Annabelle,” Gina said, rubbing circles in the young woman’s back as she stuttered. “I’ve spoke to Tony and to Pepper; they’re trying to sort it out, do damage control and try and calm everything down. Maybe just lay low for a while.”

 

Annabelle shook her head. “And let the fear of press rule me? I can’t let this ruin the only plans for my life that I’ve managed to make.”

 

“What are you saying?” Gina asked, unsure.

 

“I’m saying…” Annabelle sighed, handing the phone back. “That maybe it’s time to come clean; tell the world I’m the daughter of _the_ Tony Stark.”

 

“Anna…”

 

“Gina,” Annabelle said, feeling the fight leave her. “To be honest, I’ve been waiting for this to happen again, I’m actually quite surprised it took this long. I can’t – I’m not going to have Tony’s name dragged through the mud to keep who I am hidden. It’s not fair and it’ll end up affecting everyone, not just me and Tony. It will hurt Pepper and it could end up hurting you to, and that’s not right.”

 

“I get it, I do, and I understand, baby girl,” Gina said softly, taking Annabelle’s hand. “But you have to be sure about this, Anna, because there’s no going back once it’s out there.”

 

“I know, I’m sure.” There was determination written on her face and in her voice and Gina knew there was no backing down from this. Once she had her mind set on something solid, you wouldn’t be able to change it.

 

“It’s time the world knew I’m Tony Stark’s daughter.”


	11. Chapter 11

Tony was appalled to say that the story being run about him and Anna was quite possibly the most destructive media scandal he'd ever been involved in – and that was saying something considering the life he'd lead. Things had gone from bad to worse for both Tony and his company. Employees were quitting with immediate effect left, right and centre. Investors were pulling out of deals, abandoning contracts at great financial loss to themselves just so to not have anything to do with the Stark name and even New York’s finest had come knocking at his door asking questions. Pepper had done what she could, but in hindsight, there was only so much she  _could_  do. New crews mobbed the street below the tower day and night, hoping to catch a glimpse of the billionaire, but they never could. The one-time Tony actually had to leave the tower during the last week, he'd done so from the roof. While the press caused problems for those working on the first eighty-five floors, they also caused problems for those living and visiting the tower. Within a couple of days, it became apparent – the private garage beneath the tower would become their friend.

 

It had been six days since the story had first run and Annabelle was due to fly in to New York to spend her birthday with him. On one hand, Tony was happy she was coming as he hadn't seen her since dropping her off at the airport for her flight to London, but on the other he was worried. He'd only spoken briefly to her once whilst she was away, and that was when she'd asked him about the job he'd left open for Sam Carrol. He'd spoken to Gina a couple of times since the story had broken, to keep her updated; though he hoped she wouldn't reveal all to Annabelle. He'd wanted to wait until after Gabbie's anniversary but when that had come and gone, he couldn't bring himself to make the call. He kidded himself in to believing she would be better off not knowing until after her birthday; he hadn't had the heart to ruin the build-up for her. Not speaking to her directly meant he wouldn't hear her voice and break, spilling the secret. When Pepper or Rhodey questioned him on it, he simply told them Annabelle deserved some uninterrupted time alone with her Godmother. They didn't agree with him.

  
Tony had once again gotten her flight plan from JARVIS, finding that her plane was due to land in just over two hours. The AI had been surprisingly forthcoming with the information this time round. It gave him enough time to call Pepper and have Happy drive him over to collect her. Happy was readying the car before he'd even answered the call. That man had a sixth sense _and_ he deserved a raise. It had taken three attempts in a minute to get hold of Pepper, which was surprising seeing as Tony knew she had no meetings scheduled for that morning.

 

"Are you ignoring me?"

 

Tony could hear the faint smile in her voice as she spoke. He could also hear the unmistakable sound of papers rustling. " _Some of us are busy running_ your  _company._ "

 

"And you're doing a marvellous job at it, Honey," Tony said as he grabbed his jacket and sunglasses, slipping them both on as he left their bedroom.

 

" _Mm,_ " she hummed. " _Someone has to do the work around here whilst you sit tinkering in the lab day and night._ "

 

Tony laid a hand on his chest in mock hurt, even though he knew she couldn't see him. "I do not tinker; I  _create_." He sensed her smile again - it was familiar dance they did they did whenever he had the audacity to interrupt her day, sometimes, it was his highlight. "And if you must know; I'm not even in the lab."

 

" _Oh?_ "

 

Tony checked his watch. He still had ten minutes before he had to hit New York traffic. It was only when he paused to check his reflection in a mirror that he remembered why he'd called Pepper in the first place. "I'm on my way to the airport - Anna touches down in two hours."

 

" _Oh Tony,_ " Pepper said as she sighed, disappointment laced in her voice. Tony heard her dismiss someone and a door close. Oh boy, he was in for it now. " _And you still haven't told her._ "

 

It wasn’t a question. She _knew_ he hadn’t told Annabelle and she didn’t agree with it.

 

"No," Tony said, reaching the elevator and waiting for it to announce its arrival. "But I will."

 

" _When?_ " Pepper asked, her voice sharp and biting. " _Before or after she's cornered getting off the plane?_ "

 

"Pep, please -"

 

" _No, Anthony,_ " Pepper said. Tony froze. She was pissed but... at least she hadn't used his full name, right? " _You should have told her about what was happening the moment that photo was released by the media. You might have just made this whole thing worse for her by not saying anything._ "

 

"This time of year is hard enough for her as it is. I'm letting her have her birthday, then I'll tell her."

 

When she didn't instantly reply, Tony knew the argument was not won per se, but dropped for the time being in his favour. She was right, of course she was right; she was Pepper freaking Potts. He waited patiently for both the elevator and for his girlfriend to respond. Finally, Pepper sighed.

 

 _"At least tell me you're not taking the fucking orange car, Tony._ Please."

 

Tony stepped in to the elevator before the doors had even fully opened. “I'm not stupid.” Something that sounded suspiciously like a snort was the response. He scowled. “I'll have you know, Happy's firing up a nondescript car that is so normal, plain and unlike me that I'll be uncomfortable the entire time. Happy?”

 

“ _Not in the slightest._ ”

 

It was Tony's turn to sigh. A pissed off Pepper was not a good thing, not a good thing at all and he would inevitably pay for it later. He hoped JARVIS was putting in an order for her favourite flowers as they spoke, it was such a common occurrence the AI normally had it done before the thought even entered his mind. Tony wasn't able to say anything more on the subject, for the elevator stopped on one of the private levels below his own, the doors opening to reveal two spies and a super-solider. Tony groaned.

 

“I have to go.”

 

If Pepper noticed the change in his tone, she didn't mention it. In fact, it sounded like she was no longer really listening, as though she was now being distracted by something on her end. They rustling of the papers was back. “ _Okay; I'll be home before you are. Love you._ ”

 

“Love you to.”

 

Tony had not been in the same room with, or even seen, Steve in the last six days, and to say there was an undeniable tension between the two of them was an understatement. Steve kept shooting sideways looks, ones that were being outright ignored by the billionaire. Tony nodded stiffly to Clint, who was glancing between the other two men and then Natasha, unsure what to say. Natasha, however, was expressionless, keeping herself out of the middle. The silence was deafening, and Natasha decided to break it. She turned to Tony.

 

“Heading out?”

 

Given present company, Tony kept his tone clipped. “Airport.”

 

The revelation seemed to surprise everyone but Natasha. It appeared as though Steve seemed the most… interested. The super-soldiers eyes widened as he himself turned to face Tony. “You’re taking a trip?”

 

Tony, tone still clipped, didn’t even spare him a glance. “No.”

 

A few seconds passed, and Tony felt eyes on him. He finally looked at Steve, the other man’s gaze faltering. “Tony, I …”

 

Tony, for one single second, thought something of worth and meaning would be coming out of Steve’s mouth but alas, as soon as the man trailed off, he knew it wasn’t be. Clint and Natasha were glancing between the two of them out of the corner of their eyes. Neither wanted to be involved, but both wanted to see how the interaction continued. Tony sighed internally, not giving away the frustration he was feeling and turned away from Steve once again. “Yes, Captain?”

 

Steve didn’t immediately answer, but it was clear to all that he wanted to say something to the billionaire. They were still a fair few floors from the lobby, and after opening and closing his mouth multiple times, whatever Steve originally planned on saying died in his throat. Instead, he turned from where he was still facing Tony, staring now at the steel doors. “I have a meeting with Fury.”

 

Tony wasn’t the only one to give an inaudible groan; Clint and Natasha were just as frustrated with the lack of… well, anything. Tony shook his head and checked his phone. “And I need a rundown of your schedule because…?”

 

It was Steve’s turn to shake his head. He jabbed the button for the next available floor, muttering to himself about taking the stairs. He gave a brief nod to Natasha and Clint before glancing once more at Tony before bolting through the now open doors. It took all of two seconds after the doors closed on Steve’s retreating back and the elevator started moving again that Clint rounded on Tony, eyebrows raised.

 

“Are you ever gonna not be pissed at him?”

 

Tony’s response was instantaneous. “You and Bruce may have apologised for your accusations, but he hasn’t.” Steve’s exit may have dissolved some of the tension in the small space, but there was still plenty left. Clint went to say something, but Tony stopped him with a look. “I’m still on the fence about you, Barton. Just be thankful I haven’t kicked any of you out.”

 

Tony, and probably everyone else for that matter, knew he would never kick them out. He’d sooner remove himself from the tower than demand they all leave the place they’d come to call home. They had other places they could go, at the very least Clint and Natasha definitely did, but the tower was somewhere they could be together. Not only was it better for when they were called in for missions; them all being on the same page as the same time, but the knowledge that there was always someone else in the tower he could call company was… strangely comforting. They’d long since reached the garage now and Tony could see Happy standing beside a plain, black car, waiting rather impatiently for him. He made to move away from the archer and join Happy but a hand on his arm stopped him. He looked down as Clint retracted his hand.

 

“Steve has a harder time apologising for his mistake than I do.”

 

Tony turned and signalled at Happy to give him a minute. Happy responded by tapping his watch to let the man know he was cutting it close before getting in the car and starting the engine. Tony waved him off, turning back to Clint. He glared at the archer.

 

“ _Rogers_ not only accused me of cheating on Pepper, but of doing so by sleeping with a woman nearly twenty years younger than me.”

 

“So did me and Bruce!” Clint exploded, his voice reverberating off the walls and parked cars.

 

“But,” Tony said, fighting to keep his voice low in contrast to Clint’s outburst. His anger towards Steve became steadily more apparent as he spat each word. “You both had the audacity to invade my lab and shove your apologies down my throat while _he_ chose to sit in the comfort of his room sketching the New York skyline.”

 

Clint raised an eyebrow, trying not to smirk. “How’d you know he was doing that?”

 

Tony chose not to rise to the bait, rather, he checked his watch to find he was now running behind. He’d now have to face the wrath of Happy as well as Pepper. Traffic laws would need to be broken if he had any hope of reaching the airport before Anna landed. He threw his hands in the air in exasperation, turning on his heel and marching away. “And now I’m running late, thank you very much.” It was only when Tony neared the car and he caught sight of Natasha’s reflection in the window that she’d be present through the entire exchange. He opened the car, not looking at her. “There a reason you’re following me, Romanoff?”

 

“Steve _is_ sorry.”

 

“I know,” Tony sighed, finally turning to her with one foot in the car. “But it needs to come from him directly for it to mean something.” Tony checked his watch again, noting how much more time was passing. “I have to go.”

 

Natasha nodded and took a step back. “You should be clear for the night; we’ll all be out.”

 

Though they hadn’t discussed the fact that she knew about his daughters existence, he appreciated her continued silence. He nodded in thanks. “Noted.”

 

Tony got in the car properly and closed the door, shutting himself away from Natasha, the tinted windows shielding him from view. He felt completely drained, just as often did often after a confrontation like that. He shouldn’t let it get to him, he really shouldn’t… but he did. It was always going to be hard for Tony where Steve was concerned. Tony had grown up playing second fiddle to the great Steve Rogers in the heart of Howard Stark. For years Tony watched as his father built his empire during the weeks and searched for the fallen solider of a weekend, sparing little to no time for his son. He’d learnt to accept it, but he never quite got over how favoured Steve had been, even though he had long been legally declared dead.

 

“You’re late.”

 

The sound of Happy’s curt voice cut through Tony’s thoughts, snapping him out of his daze. They’d already pulled away from the tower, and in to the mid-morning New York traffic. Tony closed his eyes, laying his head against the back of the seat, wanting nothing more than to sleep the journey away. “Drive, Happy. Just… drive.”

* * *

 

Somehow, between Happy’s impeccable driving skills and Tony’s blatant disregard for basic traffic laws, their car pulled in to the airport ten minutes before Anna’s plane was die to land. Tony spoke to various people, pulling strings that allowed them to park just off the tarmac, meaning they’d be able to collect her straight off the plane. A message was to be passed on to her, saying a car was there to collect her, and she would be escorted off the plane before anyone. If she had any luggage in the hold, airport staff were under strict instructions to have it delivered to the tower by the end of the day. Tony had a lot of pull, and he worked it in his favour. They were parked a safe distance away from where the plane was pulled in and once they were given the all clear, Happy brought the car up as close as he could get. A few minutes passed and they both watched Anna descend the steps before exiting the car.

 

“There she is,” Tony called as she reached the last step, carry-on slung over her shoulder. He could tell she was shocked at him being there, but not displeased. She bounded up to him, dropping the back from her shoulder to her feet and flinging her arms round his neck.

 

“Hey, Dad.”

 

Tony held her close, savouring the warmth and comfort for having his daughter by his side again. “Please, _please_ , don’t leave me again; my heart can’t take it.”

 

“Don’t exaggerate,” Anna said, trying to detangle herself from Tony, but he only held her tighter. “You’re being melodramatic; it’s only been a week.”

 

“Too long,” he mumbled in to her hair before finally releasing her.

 

Once out of Tony’s vice like grip, she shook her head at him, unable to keep the smile off her face, though Tony noticed it didn’t quite meet her eyes. It could just be given the time of year, or the stress of travelling, but something inside him niggled. He would have to get her alone to ask her. Anna turned to Happy, holding her arms open to him, inviting him for a hug.

 

“Hi, Happy.”

 

“Anna,” the man said, stepping forward and wrapping his arms round her, squeezing gently before letting go. “Good to see you.”

 

Anna shot an innocent glance to her father, before locking eyes with Happy. She tilted her head towards Tony. “He been keeping you on your toes?”

 

Tony and Happy shared a look that did not go unnoticed by the woman between them. The look went as quick as it came, both of them schooling their expressions before she could question it. Happy gave her a tight and strained smile. “As always.”

 

“Just put her bag in the car, will you?” Tony demanded, not unkindly.

 

Noises behind them indicated that the rest of the passengers would soon be disembarking the plane. Happy did as he was told with a roll of his eyes. Anna shook her head at Tony, but he ignored it, opening the car door, ushering her inside before yet another story is leaked about them. Tony joined her in the back, Happy getting behind the wheel. They pulled away before anyone could recognise them. Tony watched Annabelle as they slid in to traffic. She looked a lot more like her mother today than she had done before. He noticed something else, too. It was as though she was caring the weight of the world on her shoulders. Due to his lack of communication whilst she was away, he had no idea what she’d been up to or what had been happening with her aside from reacquainting herself with Nurse Carrol, but something was weighing heavily on her. Anna caught his staring and raised an eyebrow, but his gaze didn’t waver, he only smiled.

 

“What?”

 

Tony shook his head, still smiling. “Nothing. I just… missed you, that’s all.”

 

“I’ve missed you, to,” Anna said, returning the smile. Tony noticed it disappear though, and he knew instantly that she wanted to ask him something. He didn’t have long to wonder, for she looked him dead in the eye and asked him outright. “Why didn’t you tell me about the photo?”

 

And in that moment, one of Tony’s fears became a reality – Annabelle already knew. He caught Happy glancing at him through the rear-view mirror, but the man turned away, leaving him to deal with this alone. Anna was looking expectantly at him, wanting him to explain but he couldn’t quite meet her gaze. This was not how he had this conversation planned out in his head. He’d wanted to be alone with her, for it to be private, where he could show her the photo and explain properly what had happened and how they were going to sort it. He did not want to have this conversation in the back of the car with Happy sitting in front of them. He glanced out the window, wanting to buy himself more time but knew it was futile, he’d have to talk – now.

 

He wasn’t sure how to start, so he simply voiced the name of the one person who she could have heard it from.

 

“Gina.”

 

Annabelle nodded, though she didn’t look quite as mad as he thought she would. “I was bound to find out for myself sooner or later,” she paused, leaning over and grabbing his hand. There was disappointment in her eyes and Tony hated how she was looking at him in that way… however much he deserved it. “But _you_ should have been the one to tell me. It’s plastered everywhere, Dad, and twitter is going crazy over it.”

 

Tony gripped on to her hand, running his thumb over her knuckles, trying to convey how sorry he was for not telling her. “I wanted to wait until after your birthday,” he said quietly. “With everything you were going through this week, I- I was hoping we’d be able to sort it by then – how, I don’t know, but the intention to was there.”

 

There was a brief silence amongst all parties after his earnest admission. Anna was taking it all in and Tony was fretting over what she was thinking. Sometimes it was hard to read her as, like him, she played all cards close to her chest and wouldn’t let people know how she was feeling. It took a few seconds but eventually Anna shook her head, holding his gaze with her own.

 

“You should have still told me, Dad.” Anna sighed, though Tony still couldn’t detect much anger coming from her. “You know you should have, especially after last time. I’m almost twenty-three – not the teenager I was six years ago.”

 

Tony nodded, agreeing with her completely. “I know, I’m sorry. Forgive me, my sweet darling child.”

 

Anna laughed as Tony batted his eyelashes at her, a sweet innocent grin on his face. She could help laughing at his performance. He meant well, he really did, but sometimes he just managed to not get it quite right. “How can I not when you give me those eyes?” Her smile faltered and disappeared, taking Tony’s with it. She looked down at her lap. “How bad is it?”

 

Tony sucked in a breath. “It’s bad. Anna… these rumours, what they’re saying about me…” He couldn’t look at her. He wasn’t sure how much she knew, whether she’d looked in to it in depth and read some of the articles and watched the news segments herself of if Gina had sugar coated the details. He didn’t want to voice what was being said about him out loud, especially not to his daughter. “It’s – I’m not sure how long Pepper can keep them at bay before I’ll be forced to release a statement. There’s no hiding from it this time.”

 

“You’re not releasing a statement.”

 

Tony rounded on her, gaping. “Annabelle -”

 

“Dad,” Anna said forcefully, getting him to stop. “ _I’ll_ be releasing the statement. Eyes on the road, Hogan!”

 

“Sorry!”

 

The car has swerved violently before Happy regained control. Try as he might, Tony knew the man behind the wheel just couldn’t _not_ listen to their conversation… and it seemed Happy was as shocked by the revelation as he was. He never expected those words to come out of Annabelle’s mouth, much less at a time like this. She’d never been up in front of reporters or the cameras before. Never been in front of the flashing lights to blur her vision and the intensity of the questions being thrown her way causing her to lose her train of thought. She’d never been prepared to face the scrutiny of American press. This was not how he wanted her to be introduced to it. This was the worst possible way to introduce her to it. He didn’t want this for her, not now, and he certainly didn’t want her to take this on. Tony removed his sunglasses, rubbing his eyes.

 

“Anna –”

 

“I’m going to ask Pepper to arrange a press conference with select reporters of my choosing,” Anna said, cutting him off. She wasn’t looking at him, choosing to stare at the back of the seat in front of her. “I’m going to tell everyone that I’m your daughter. I’ve thought about it while I was in Boston, but quite frankly we _are_ out of time. It was always going to come out at some point, we all knew that, but I wanted it to be on my terms when it finally did. Now I have a very limited window to do it, so I’m thinking tomorrow if Pepper can arrange it. Sooner rather than later, right? Dad?” Anna looked at him when he didn’t answer, only to find him staring at her open-mouthed. She poked his leg and waved a hand in front of his face but gained no reaction. She’d never seen him react like this before. She managed to catch Happy’s eye in the mirror. “Happy, he’s not saying anything… I think I broke him.”

 

“That’ll be a first."

* * *

 

The remaining hour or so drive was filled with nothing but silence on Tony’s end while Happy and Anna talked about everything but the predicament they found themselves in. Very few people were able to render Tony speechless, but that was not for lack of trying. Those who could, were his nearest and dearest. He spent the rest of the ride mulling over what Anna had said. Why did she have to be so… logical? She was right in what she said, of course she was. Why did the two most important women in his life have to always be right? He didn’t like it, not one little bit. He wanted to protect his daughter, not shove her in front of her very people destined to ruin her life. It wasn’t right for her to be forced to do it, to out her own existence to placate the curiosity of others. Tony was so involved with his own thoughts that he hadn’t even realised they had arrived back at the tower until…

 

“Anna!”

 

The three of them turned to find Pepper rushing barefooted towards them, her arms open to welcome Anna. Tony moved off to the windows, looking out. He didn’t want to intrude in their greeting, needing the time to gather his thoughts. He was still shocked, that wasn’t about to change anytime soon. He was content for now to just listening to the two women in his life reunite, focusing on how happy they both were.

 

“Pepper!” Anna said, and Tony watched through the reflection of the glass his daughter diving to the woman and settling in to her hold, head against her shoulder. They stayed like that for a minute until Pepper held her at arms-length.

 

“Welcome home,” she said, smiling. “I’ve had Gerry from legal to work on the paperwork for Sam, it’s being couriered over for him to read over as we speak.”

 

“Thank you,” Anna said, sighing in relief. “I have so much to tell you on that front. He’s having a such a horrible time.”

 

“Well, he’ll be able to make an informed decision,” Pepper said matter-of-factly, and Tony noticed how she was in business mode. “How’s Gina doing?”

 

“She’s finally taking Kirsten for every penny they have – even the fish.”

 

Pepper and Anna both laughed, Tony chuckled internally with them. “She hates the fish.”

 

“I know,” Anna laughed. “Poor fish. It’s still alright for her to come stay next month, right?”

 

“Of course, it is, you really don’t have to ask,” Pepper reminded her.

 

Tony tuned out the idle chitchat of catching up that came after as they both moved to the couch. He hadn’t moved from his place by the window and had no immediate plans to. The sun was high, reflecting off the windows of some of the cities highest buildings, lighting up areas immediate to them. It was nice knowing he was so high up, that no one could see him. Not even a camera would be able to penetrate the windows. With his life on display almost ninety-nine percent of the time, he enjoyed the smidgen of privacy the tower gave him. Tony had gotten distracted, not realising Peppers focus had switched from Anna no himself. “

 

“Tony?” She called, yet he didn’t turn. “You’re being surprisingly quiet.”

 

“She shocked him,” he heard Happy say, a smirk in his voice. Tony hadn’t even realised he was still there; having thought he would have returned back downstairs by now. Evidently, he was wrong.  “He hasn’t spoken in the last hour.”

 

“How on Earth did you manage that?” Pepper exclaimed. Tony watched her reflection as her head bounced round all members of the room in turn. She was both shocked and amused. “I’ve been trying for years.”

 

There was a brief silence, in which Tony watched through the reflection in the window Anna and Happy share a look. He smiled as it only confused Pepper further.

 

“I told him I was going to ask you to set up a press conference because I’m going to publicly announce that I’m his daughter,” Anna said slowly, gauging Pepper’s reaction. “Tomorrow if possible.”

 

Pepper had ceased being surprised by a lot of things years ago, pretty much, Tony figured, around the same time he took her on as his personal assistant and she’d had to deal with all manner of things he got himself in to. After he’d outed himself as Iron Man and handed over the role of CEO to her, she’d seemed to just take everything in her stride, dealing with it all with a professionalism that came naturally and was envied by many.

 

“I can do that,” Pepper said after a moment of silence, a broad smile on her face. Her phone was in her hand within seconds, her contacts list already on the screen, thumb hovering over the call button. “Let me do that. I’m gonna go do that. Happy, with me.”

 

Tony heard the two leave, Happy trailing behind while Pepper was already in deep conversation with one of her many, _many_ contacts in public relations. She was in her _element_. Tony stayed by the window, still looking out. A few seconds passed before he felt Anna beside him. She linked her arm with his, resting her head against his shoulder, he kissed her head in response before resting his head atop of hers. They stared at each other’s reflection in the window before Anna pulled away, turning him to face her.

 

“Dad say something,” she said, her voice soft. “Please.”

 

Tony smiled at her, leading her back over to the couch. He pushed her to sit, though he chose to remain standing. “Do you remember the first time you called me that?”

 

“No,” she said honestly. He knew she didn’t, but he had a point in still asking. “But I remember you telling me, and JARVIS showed me the footage proving it.”

 

Tony nodded. He took a moment before responding, remembering the feeling of being called ‘Dad’ for the first time. He looked at her, still smiling, though his voice lowered to almost a whisper. “I never thought you would, you know.”

 

“What, call you Dad?” Anna asked, confused. She was titling her head at him as though she truly didn’t understand why he thought that. “Why?”

 

“You’d already had a Dad,” Tony stated. “Alan raised you.”

 

He’d come in to Annabelle’s life after she’d had and lost two parents who had raised and loved her. Though he was her father, Tony knew she’d looked up to and loved her step-father as though he was more than just that. He had been the one to read her stories at bedtime and held her when she cried. He’d been the one to hold her hand and watch her grow, not him. When she’d first came to live with he felt like he had no right to swoop in and try and be that man, but he’d come to realise over the last few years that both he and Alan Cooper had the right to be called her Dad.

 

“And you’ve been raising me for the last six years.”

 

Annabelle’s words snapped him from his thoughts. He found her staring at him, smiling in earnest. He smiled back but shook his head. “You’re an adult; you don’t need raising.”

 

“I’ll always need it,” she said, a glint in her eye. “You still need it and you’re –”

 

“Don’t even go there.”

 

They both laughed. Tony threw himself down on the couch next to her, and she slipped her hand in his. They both held on tight, as though if either one was to let go the other would drift away. They stayed like that in silence for a few minutes, both reflecting on the past half a decade. Annabelle eventually squeezed his hand and Tony looked up at her, finding tears in her eyes. He wiped away the stray one from her cheek with his thumb.

 

“We’ve been over this, so many times,” she said, and Tony knew she was willing him to understand. She had a fire in her eyes, one that was demanding he believe her, and he did… just sometimes he needed reminding. “You’re my Dad, and you’ve been doing a pretty good job at being one.”

 

“Yeah, well,” Tony said, clearing his throat and trying to rid himself of the overwhelming emotion he was feeling. He waved a hand in the general direction he knew Pepper had disappeared off to with Happy. “I’ve had Pepper to keep me in check.”

 

“She is practically my step-mother,” Annabelle nodded, agreeing with his statement.

 

“Reckon I should make it official,” Tony said offhandedly, more to himself than to Anna. He’d been thinking about it for a while, far too long for it to be acceptable and then _not_ do it. He’d mentioned it to Rhodey months ago; the man had clapped him on the back and told him he was growing up… and then demanded on being the best man. Part of Tony reckoned his friend hadn’t actually believed him and considering nothing had come from the conversation, and Tony hadn’t mentioned it to him again, Tony couldn’t blame him for not doing so. He’d even ventured in to looking at a few ring designs but stopped when he he’d gone through so many and still hadn’t found anything that stood out.

 

It seemed as though Anna had latched on to the idea, for her eyes widened and she tugged sharply on his hand to get him to look at her. She was grinning at him as he turned to face her. He had to blink a few times to focus on her face, as she was now bouncing up and down on her knees like a child.

 

“Are you serious?” she asked, and he looked her dead in the eye, gazing unwavering. She seemed to realise that, in fact, he was. He didn’t think it possible, but her eyes widened even further. “You are, aren’t you?”

 

“Been thinking about it,” he said with a shrug, gauging her reaction.

 

“Finally,” Annabelle exploded, throwing her hands in the air and jumping off the couch. She started dancing, jumping from side to side. Tony could only stare at her. He figured she’d be happy for him, but this happy? He honestly wouldn’t be surprised if she pulled out a binder filled with venues and bridal magazines and helped him plan the whole thing without Pepper ever getting wind of it. She caught him staring and stopped dancing, a hand on her hip. “Oh, come on, the woman deserves it – she’s put with you for long enough.”

 

“I resent that.”

 

They both started laughing. Annabelle started listing off all the things he would need to consider, but Tony was only half listening, knowing JARVIS would be making a list for him to consult at a later date. He figured that, now that Anna knew he’d been thinking about it, he would actually do it. There was no way she’d let up and let him get away with not doing it. He knew she’d keep on at him until he got off his ass and actually did it. It was a good thing, as he knew it would probably take another couple of years before he actually proposed.

 

“ _Sir, Dr Banner is on his way up. It seems urgent._ ”

 

They both jumped as JARVIS spoke. Tony wasn’t expecting anyone to be in the tower, Natasha had told him they’d have the place to themselves. He wondered what the man wanted: it must be important if he’s seeking him out. Tony turned to Anna, expecting to find her wide eyed and fearful of the impending arrival but instead he found her staring at him, head titled to the side and frowning. Tony stood to stand in front of her, hands on her shoulders.

 

“Up to you what you want to do,” he said, giving her an out if she wanted it. “But you don’t have a lot of time to decide.”

 

“No time like the present,” Anna shrugged. “Right?”

 

“Come here,” Tony said, pulling her to his chest.

 

They stayed like that for a few seconds, both holding each other in a tight grip, knowing that when Bruce turned up, things were going to change. Neither heard the ding of the elevator, or the scientist thanking JARVIS as he exited. Neither noticed the man standing there with a mixture of pure confusion and uncertainty. Both Anna and Tony jumped away from each in surprise, though Tony pulled her back and wrapped an arm round her shoulders.

 

“Sorry, I didn’t know I’d be interrupting,” Bruce said, clearly embarrassed by the encounter. He scratched the base of his neck and made to take a step back. “I’ll come back.”

 

“Don’t be silly. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Dr Banner,” Anna said, extracting herself from Tony’s hold and stepped towards Bruce, holding a hand out. He took it and they shook, Anna giving a smile. “Tony’s told me so much about you.”

 

“And Tony’s told me absolutely nothing about you,” Bruce said slowly, still holding on to her hand.

 

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Anna said once Bruce had released her hand. She gripped it with her other in anticipation to what reaction they would get. “Introduce us.”

 

Bruce looked between the two again, if possible, even more confused that he was before. Tony stepped up to Anna again, once more wrapping an arm round her shoulders, squeezing tightly.

 

“Anna, you know Dr Bruce Banner. Brucie,” he said, waving a hand between his friend and Anna. “ _This_ is Annabelle Cooper – my daughter.”

 

Silence. To both Anna and Tony, it was a relief for someone outside their little circle of knowledge to know. For Bruce… well… it just brought a whole lot more of confusion to the forefront of his brain. He stared between the two, and it wasn’t only Anna who was apprehensive… Tony was definitely feeling the tension too.

 

“I’m sorry, what did you just say?”

 

Tony gave his friend a look as if to say ‘surprise’, but it soon morphed in to one of exhaustion, as if keeping the secret as been the thing holding him up. He kissed the top of Anna’s head and looked at Bruce, pleading for him to believe.

 

“She’s my kid, Bruce, not my secret lover.”

 

“That is just wrong on so many levels;” Anna said, breaking the tension and cringing away from Tony. She shook her head, looking to the two men then away again, screwing up her eyes. “I’m gonna need hypnosis to forget the things I’ve read.”

 

“No hypnosis while you’re under my roof,” Tony joked, though Bruce could see the memory of what had happened to Clint behind his eyes and knew the man was being serious.

 

Tony watched as Bruce focused his eyes on Anna, following her as she moved to the couch and sat with her feet folded beneath her. Nothing was said as the scientist continued to watch Anna, who was trying not to pay too much attention to the fact she was being watched. Finally Bruce sighed, moving to sit on the opposite end from her. He rubbed his eyes.

 

“You’re his daughter?”

 

“In the flesh,” Anna nodded, glancing quickly to Tony, who smiled. “We have DNA to prove it.”

 

Without being asked, JARVIS brought up the results of the test Tony had run a few months after her arrival in his life. They had both wanted the confirmation, though neither denied it in the first place… it just made it all the more real. It was brought up on the holographic screen built in to the coffee table before them. Bruce pulled out his glasses, putting them over his eyes to give the results a quick glance before nodding and replacing them in his pocket. He had all the proof one needed, and upon seeing the similarities in both looks and personality between the two, Bruce sighed and rounded on Tony.

 

“You kept this from us,” Bruce said, a mild feeling of hurt lacing his tone, though Tony could tell he wasn’t all that annoyed. “All of us?”

 

“Well, Natasha knows,” Tony said, shifting from one foot to the other and shrugging. It was Anna’s turn to round on him now, eyes narrowed and not at all happy. “Don’t look at me like that; she’s a spy, spies _know_ things.”

 

Anna continued to try and look annoyed that their secret was out to someone else without her knowledge but in the end, she conceded, knowing Tony was right. If anyone was to find out, it would be Natasha… and seemingly, she hadn’t told a soul and Anna was thankful for that. Tony watched his daughter as she deliberated how to continue the conversation. She sighed.

 

“I haven’t been ready for anyone to know,” she said quietly, almost guilty that the man hadn’t been in on the secret, regardless of whether she knew him other by name or not. “A few people do, but it’s something we decided to keep private.”

 

“For twenty-two years.”

 

“Hey,” Tony said, not wanting the slightly bitterness now in Bruce’s tone to upset Anna, and he knew it would do. He came to stand behind her, sitting on the back of the couch and placing a hand on her shoulder for comfort. “She’s twenty-three tomorrow.”

 

“I didn’t meet Tony until six years ago…” Anna said slowly before sighing, knowing it would take a while to explain it all to the man, and it was not something she wished to do at this precise moment without much warning. “It’s all complicated.”

 

Silence preceded Anna’s statement. Neither she or Tony added anything, and it seemed Bruce didn’t want to ask anymore questions at that particular moment. The trio continued to sit in silence, it becoming almost deafening before, once again, JARVIS interrupted them, making both Anna and Bruce jump.

 

“ _Miss Cooper, Ms Potts requires your presence in her personal office._ ”

 

Annabelle both physically and mentally sighed in relief, jumping up and shrugging off Tony’s hand. He raised an eyebrow at her, she only grinned at him.

 

“That’ll be about the press release. Can you tell her I’m coming, J?” she said, while still grinning at Tony.

 

“ _As you wish._ ”

 

“How about I cook tonight,” Anna said suddenly, causing Tony to raise an eyebrow at her again, completely and utterly surprised at her suggestion. “And you can invite the others. We’ll tell them ahead of it being released, rather than them finding out with the rest of New York. Are they in the tower tonight?”

 

Tony cocked his head to side, wondering why she was so insistent in letting the rest of the team know that night. Was it because she just wanted it out in the open, or because she didn’t want the same accusatory tone that they’d received from Bruce if they left it until tomorrow? He’d have to ask her when they next got a moment in private. Tony cleared his throat.

 

“Natasha said they wouldn’t be, but they might be up for coming back.”

 

“Okay then,” Anna said loudly, clapping her hands together, something he still wasn’t sure whether she got from him or her mother. She made to leave, giving a glance at Bruce as she passed. She looked from man to man, before rolling her eyes and walking towards the elevator. She caught Tony’s eye before she let the doors close. “Get the man a drink, Dad; he looks like he’s in shock.”

 

Tony waited until she’d disappeared before shaking his head and moving towards the bar. He hadn’t expected any of what had happened in the last few hours. He’d been looking forward to and expecting a nice simple and quiet day with Annabelle, welcoming her to New York and spending the evening enjoying dinner with her and Pepper for the first time in who knows how long. But when has anything to do with his life even been simple and quiet? He _is_ Tony Stark after all. He hadn’t expected his daughter to come home already knowing about the little predicament they were in. He hadn’t expected her to blurt out that she was ready for the world to know her relation to him, and that he was completely _fine_ with that, now was he expecting his friend, his science bro to walk in on the two of them without more than a minutes warning. All in all it had been a very interesting day so far and it was far from over. That evening looked to be very interested if the team agreed on joining them for dinner. Tony sighed to himself, pouring himself a single shot of whiskey and pulling a small bottle of orange juice from the mini fridge for Bruce. He walked back over to the man, taking the seat next to him and holding out the bottle.

 

“Here.”

 

Bruce stared at the bottle for a full ten seconds before taking it. He downed the bottle before placing it on the coffee table. He shook his head at Tony, and though he knew there was no doubt in the possibility, he still spoke with disbelief in his voice. “You have a child.”

 

“Yes,” Tony confirmed, downing his own drink and placing it next to Bruce’s empty bottle. “I do.”

 

“A fully grown,” Bruce said, shaking his head. “Walking, talking, has her own mind, adult child.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Bruce gave an exasperated laugh, unable to contain the information that had been presented to him the moment he’d walked off the elevator. He was shocked, to say the least. Tony waited patiently for him to calm himself.

 

“Explain, please,” Bruce all but begged, shaking his head again. “Because I’m so confused. I’ve spent most of the last three years with you and I had no idea.”

 

“To be fair,” Tony said with a not so guilty smile. “She doesn’t often come to New York.”

 

Tony sighed as Bruce gestured eagerly for him to continue. He stood and moved away, crossing his arms and choosing to face away from Bruce. “I dated her mom when we were seventeen. I loved her, my parents died, I pushed her away and she… went. I was too much of a coward to go and find her.” He paused, waiting for the judgement, but he was pleasantly surprised to find there wasn’t any. He turned and raised an eyebrow to Bruce, who simply nodded at him to continue, and continue he did.

 

“I honestly didn’t know anything about Annabelle until after her mom died and a hand-written letter was delivered to me. They were in a car accident in London less than a week before her seventeenth birthday. Gabbie – her mom – had measures in place for if she died before Anna turned eighteen.” Tony paused again, remembering the feeling of finding out he had a daughter nearing her late teens that he knew nothing about. Remembered the feeling of familiar that he hadn’t supported either her or her mother while he could. Remembered the feeling of regret he still often felt about not fixing things with Gabbie while he still had the chance and knowing there was nothing he could do to change that. He cleared away the built-up emotion from his throat and moved to pacing in front of the window.

 

“I became her legal guardian and only family overnight. Less than three hours after finding out I had a daughter, I’d signed the papers and was in the air, on my way to London to get her and bring her home.” The frown that had been on his face was replaced with a smile now. A smile so genuine and honest that he found Bruce smiling back at him. “Took a while but me, her and Pepper have been a family ever since. I let her decide what she wanted to do when she was ready, and she didn’t want our relationship to each other known. I respected that, so I made sure no one did.

 

“That story they run – about ‘oh nine, that happened a few weeks after she came to live with us. It ran the day after her mom’s funeral,” Tony swallowed, and Bruce closed his eyes in understanding. Tony knew his friend was starting to realise why it had been so hard for the two of them. Tony couldn’t help the anger and bitterness that crept in to his voice, and it took a fair amount of self-control not to raise his voice. “The photo was taken by some trigger-happy attendant at the airport who caught us getting off the plane from Boston. As if she needed the stress of anything else added at a time like that.

 

“It terrified her, Bruce,” Tony said, spinning round the face the man, running a hand through his hair. “She’d not long lost her mom, was living with strangers in a place and lifestyle so unlike what she’d been brought up in and she was still physically and mentally recovering – it was too much for her. So,” he said, wringing a hand in the air in no particular direction. “I wiped everything connected to her, had JARVIS run a programme to periodically do the same. I’m both sorry and not sorry I didn’t tell you, but contrary to what anyone would believe, my daughter and her happiness comes first.”

 

Tony finished his speech and collapsed back on the couch, his head landing near Bruce’s thigh. The man looked at him upside down.

 

“Wow.”

 

“Really, ‘wow’. That’s all you’re gonna say?” Tony jumped up, slightly offended at the lack of _anything_ radiating from the man. “I spill my biggest secret and that’s all you got?”

 

“Give me a break;” Bruce said, waving a hand at him and closing his eyes as he leaned further in to the couch. “I’ve just found out my best friend has a secret daughter he never told me about.”

 

Tony smirked at him. “I’m your best friend?”

 

Bruce looked at him as if to say, ‘shut up’. It only made Tony laugh. They reverted back to silence for a few seconds, Tony waiting for Bruce to say something else now. He didn’t have to wait long.

 

“She seems nice.”

 

“Heart of gold,” Tony agreed, nodding. “Not a bad bone in her body – just like her mom.”

 

Bruce looked at him now, nothing but sympathy in his eyes. Tony knew the man knew him well, well enough to know when he truly felt something. Like Pepper, Rhodey and Anna, Bruce was one of the only other people that could see the real him. Just like he could now.

 

“You really did love her, didn’t you?”

 

Tony sniffed and turned his face away. “Only woman other than Pepper.” He shrugged. “Guess in a way I never stopped.”

 

“And how does Pepper feel about that?”

 

“She understands,” Tony said truthfully. It was a conversation the two of them had had at length after Annabelle had gotten settled in at the Malibu house. For hours they had sat as he explained his relationship to his daughters mother, the woman he never stopped loving but never went after. Pepper had listened to his reassurances that he loved her and that would never change. She understood, she had helped him to understand that he would always love his ex, but he was _in_ love with her. It had strengthened their relationship tenfold. “Knows how I feel about her. She wouldn’t have stuck around for as long as she has if she didn’t”

 

“Has Annabelle been living here,” Bruce asked, his eyes slightly narrowed. “Right under our noses the entire time?”

 

“Nope.,” Tony said, popping the ‘p’. He made his way back to the bar, pouring himself another drink and offering Bruce and second bottle of orange, which he refused. Tony shrugged it off. “I wasn’t lying to you when I said she didn’t come here often. She lives in California; stayed there when I set up shop here. What?”

 

Bruce had a look of pure realisation on his face and he started laughing, shaking his head.

 

“Kind of makes sense now.” Tony raised an eyebrow in question, Bruce chuckled again. “Your frequent trips away. So, any other children no one knows about?”

 

“Just Anna,” Tony said, smiling.

 

They lapsed back in to silence, though there was no tension or uneasiness in the air this time, it was fairly… pleasant. Tony finished his drink, placing his empty glass on the bar and clapped his hands together, remembering that Bruce _hadn’t_ arrived expecting to revelled in Tony’s family history.

 

“So, what did you actually come up here for?”

 

Bruce, to his credit, was confused by the question for barely a second before a frown appeared on his face. He shook his head.

 

“I… I have no idea.”

* * *

 

Though everyone had, in fact, had plans that night, they had all dropped them surprisingly quickly. Tony had had JARVIS contact each of them, save from Bruce, and ask them to meet in the communal lounge at seven. They had all agreed with little to no questions, and Tony was glad… he hadn’t wanted to argue with any of them before the night had even begun. After his chat with Bruce, the both of them had gone down to the lab, only to be joined by Anna and Pepper not long after. They’d sorted out the press conference for late the next afternoon, right out front of the tower. Pepper want to go through some of the details with Tony and the two had left Anna alone with Bruce. Tony hadn’t seen either of them since, for when he returned to the lab, both had disappeared. He’d asked JARVIS, but the AI had informed him the two had left the tower to get lunch.

 

He’d wanted a chance to speak to Anna before everyone had turned up, but by the time he’d left the lab again and made his way upstairs, he found himself in the presence of his team mates with his daughter still nowhere in sight. There was once again awkward silence as he entered the space. It was clear the two men had no idea why they were meeting but it was plainly obvious given her grin that Natasha knew full well. He nodded at her as he moved to the bar to pour himself a drink. He held to bottle up to them, silently asking if anyone wanted a drink but they all shook their heads. He shrugged and returned the bottle to its place; it was their loss.

 

“Are you going to tell us why we’ve been summoned here tonight?”

 

Steve’s voice rang through the large open space. Why was is so hard for the man to keep any sort of accusation _out_ of his tone? Tony didn’t immediately answer. Instead Tony downed his drink and poured himself another before moving to sit on one of the couches. He leaned in to it, arms spread across the back with drink still in hand and ankle crossed over knee. He smiled at Steve, though everyone could see it was as fake as they come. “Keep calm, Capsicle; all shall be revealed.”

 

Natasha took a seat next to Tony but keeping a respectable distance so not to crowd him. She gave Steve a genuine smile. “Trust me, Steve; you’re gonna be glad you waited.”

 

“Thank you, Natasha.” Tony saluted her with his glass before taking a sip. “Tell me, how did _you_ find out?”

 

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

 

“Yes,” Tony said, narrowing his eyes at the smirking woman, curiosity getting the better of him. “I would actually.”

 

“Wouldn’t we all…” Clint muttered. Everyone looked at him, Natasha going as far as throwing a pillow at his head.  He glared at her but relented, tossing the pillow back on the couch. “Alright. Come on, Stark.”

 

“All in good time, Legolas.”

 

Tony took another sip of his drink, indicating to the archer that the conversation was over. A tense and uncomfortable silence fell over the team. Steve stayed standing where he was, avoiding glancing at Tony, though the billionaire could tell the man wanted to. Clint and Natasha seemed to be having a silent conversation amongst themselves, only their eyes giving away that they were communicating. Tony wanted to return to the comfort of his lab, away from the tension surrounding him. He wanted to spend the evening with Anna and Pepper, just the three of them, as they used to do when they were all in the Malibu house. He missed those times. He’d never regretted the move to New York per se, always knowing that it had been necessary at the time, but had he always been happy about it? Tony sighed, tilting his head back till he reached the back of the couch. He noticed the others murmuring amongst themselves, but he didn’t care enough to pay attention. He was starting to wonder if Anna had bailed on him, regardless of it being her idea to gather everyone for dinner. Just as he was considering asking JARVIS to call her, demanding her to come back and rescue him, the elevator dinged and opened. Tony’s head turned, and he instantly jumped when he realised Bruce and Anna were walking towards the group of four, but his eyes narrowed on his daughter when he caught the end of their conversation.

 

“No, really, he did that?” Bruce gave a hearty laugh.

 

“He did; straight through the wall,” Anna laughed with him, gripping on to his arm as they made their way further in to the room, seemingly oblivious to the people around them. “It was embarrassing. JARVIS can show you if you ask nicely.”

 

Tony could only imagine what one of his many mishaps Anna had been indulging Bruce in, whatever it was, it didn’t seem to be painting him in a brilliant light. He sidled up to them, stopping a few steps away and crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow.

 

“JARVIS will not be showing anyone anything without my approval.”

 

Anna turned to him now, laughter still on her lips and a sparkle in her eyes. She’d obviously had a good time with Bruce, seeming at ease with him. Tony noticed the same air about the scientist, noting he was far more relaxed than he’d seen him in a long time, rather, than he’d _ever_ seen him. Annabelle had that ability about her, Tony had found. She was able to draw the tension from ones shoulders after only a few minutes of conversation. It was no surprise to him that she’d managed to do the same with Bruce.

 

“ _I’m afraid that’s not true, Sir. Miss Cooper has complete access._ ”

 

Tony rolled his eyes as JARVIS spoke. There were only three other people besides himself that had full capability to override the AI’s programming. Anna, Pepper and Rhodey were all able to bypass his controls if they so needed to. Rhodey and Pepper both have done, but no in recent years. Anna, however, never has. Tony tilted his head at his daughter, smirking. “I can remove that.”

 

“But you won’t,” Anna said, smirking right back at him, knowing he never would.

 

The two shared a smile and it was only through catching movement out of the corner of his eye that Tony remembered the two weren’t alone in the room. He could feel the stares of the two people who didn’t happen to know who Annabelle was. Given the twitching Clint was doing, Tony know he was itching to know what was going on, especially with the knowledge that Natasha already new. Steve had stepped closer, looking from Anna to Tony, trying and failing to make a connection between them.

 

“Stark, care to explain?”

 

Tony rounded on Steve, plastering a fake look of shock on his face. “Oh, I’m so sorry, where are my manners?” Tony could feel Anna roll her eyes at him as he threw an arm out to her, wrapping it round her shoulders and pulling her close when she stepped next to him. He gave them all a genuine smile. Bruce and Natasha both smiled back whilst Clint and Steve both still looked confused.

 

“Everyone, this is Annabelle – my _daughter_.”

 


	12. Chapter 12

"I did not see that coming.”

 

Clint’s words of pure shock seemed to rebound around the room and settle in the centre. Neither he nor Steve registered that they appeared to be the only two that had no idea, as they both just stared at Tony and the woman who’s shoulders he still had his arm slung over. Bruce and Nat shared a look, her confirming that she had, indeed, known about the revelation long before now. The man just shook his head with a smile, knowing never to underestimate her being in the know. There was silence for a solid minute as the two men looked between Anna and Tony, and then each other, neither knowing what to say. Finally, once the atmosphere became too strained and positively uncomfortable, Steve broke the silence.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

Tony stiffened at the accusation, barely feeling Anna dig her fingers in to his side in an attempt to keep him grounded. He cleared his throat, setting a steely-eyed gaze on Steve. “DNA doesn’t lie, Captain.”

 

“Dad,” Anna whispered in his ear in an attempt to keep him calm, though knowing it wouldn’t work. “Don’t rise.”

 

“I trust science, and I trust her mother; I don’t need someone questioning it,” Tony bit out, stepping forward away from Annabelle and squaring his shoulders at Steve. The look he threw at Steve was so pure and genuine and filled with raw emotion, it was enough to cause the super-solider to throw his hands up in surrender. It didn’t stop Tony there, though, he was too far gone. “ _I_ know that she’s mine. _She_ knows that she’s mine.”

 

“Dad, _please_ ,” Annabelle pleaded, a hand resting on his arm now, ready to grip him like a vice if needed.

 

Tony looked at her now, finding her eyes wide and almost fearful, as though she wasn’t sure how far he’d go, at what point he’d stop. It only took a second, but that was all that was needed for Tony to back down. He fell back against Anna, letting the woman pull him in to step beside her. His face relaxed instantly, giving her a sloppy grin, once more ignoring the rest of the room.

 

“Sorry, sweetpea.”

 

“Uh huh,” Anna said, rolling her eyes. She slapped his arm and he rubbed it, feigning hurt. She only shook her head. “JARVIS, did we ever get around to scanning mom’s recipe book?”

 

“ _We did, Miss Cooper. Would you like it brought up on the screen in the kitchen?_ ”

 

“Please,” Anna said, moving away from Tony now and taking a few steps towards the kitchen before stopping “I’m gonna make a start on dinner. Oh, Dad,” Anna called, turning on her heel and facing him. “Pepper said to go ahead and eat without her and that she probably won’t be up for the next couple of hours; she’s working on that proposal she got from, um, Garnett Enterprises.”

 

“Why is she bothering with them?” Tony asked, his face screwed up in disgust.

 

Anna shrugged nonchalantly. “SI isn’t my business, no matter how much you two try and get me involved, but I do know it has the potential of being a multibillion-dollar deal.” Anna turned to face Clint as he let out a low whistle, seemingly impressed. She smirked at him before continuing her slow journey backwards to the kitchen. “I know right? Does anyone have any preferences on what they want to eat?”

 

No one answered, leaving Annabelle feeling a little underwhelmed. She couldn’t tell what anyone was thinking, accept for Tony. She caught his eye and he shrugged apologetically, as if it was his fault no one had answered her. She bit her lip, shifting from foot to foot and waited to see if anyone would answer her eventually. Clint and Steve continued to stare at Tony and Bruce was nowhere to be seen, evidently having slipped from the room unbeknownst to any of them. After a few seconds of awkward silence from all parties, Natasha shook her head and stepped up to the young woman.

 

“I’ll come with you, these guys can never decide.” She held her hand out. “Natasha.”

 

“Anna,” Anna said, taking the offered hand.

 

“I know.”

 

“Yeah, about that,” Anna said as she led them both to the kitchen. Much like Tony, she was intrigued as to how she’d figured out her existence. “How?”

 

A both women disappeared around the corner and in to the kitchen, the three men left in the main room stood staring at one another, not one of them talking. Gentle laughter could be heard from Anna and Natasha, and Tony was happy at that. It was pleasing to know that at the very least, two members of the team were at least trying to accept his daughter; Bruce earlier, Natasha now. Tony observed the two men in front of him, trying to gauge their thinking. Clint was the first to break, cocking his head towards the kitchen and grinning with a thumbs up before throwing himself on the couch and flicking on the TV. Tony knew that was probably as much as he was going to get from the archer until the questions came, no doubt later after a few drinks. Steve, it seemed, couldn’t decide how to proceed with his line of questioning. He opened and closed his mouth so many times, he truly resembled a goldfish. If he wasn’t so pissed at the super-solider, Tony might even of made a joke about it. Out of the corner of his eye, Tony saw Bruce slip back in to the room and, just when he had given up standing in silence and was about to make his way over to the scientist, Steve decided it was time to speak up.

 

“So…” Steve said, letting his voice trail off.

 

Tony groaned, turning to face the man with a faux smile upon his face. “Yes, Spangles?”

 

Tony was unaware how loud his voice was, and the fact it had carried to kitchen until Anna poked her head around the corner, giving him a stern look. “Play nice!”

 

“You have a daughter?”

 

Tony turned back to Steve, rolling his eyes. He gestured to where Anna was still standing, staring at him. “Clearly, she’s standing right over there.”

 

Steve sighed, closing his eyes briefly. “Tony, I didn’t mean –”

 

“Dad,” Anna said, appearing beside him. “Go help Natasha.”

 

Tony looked at her disbelievingly, eyebrow raised. “You _really_ want _me_ in the kitchen?”

 

“Yes,” Anna said, giving him a look that made it clear she was being completely serious. “Shoo.”

 

A few seconds of silence followed as Tony grumbled about being ordered around in his own house and moved off to the kitchen to join Natasha. As he passed past Bruce, he grabbed the man by the arm and pulled him along to, the other man going willingly. Anna faced Steve, about to address him when a sharp bark of laughter from the couch stopped her. Both she and Steve turned to Clint, who was grinning widely.

 

“I can see it;” the archer said, waving his hand between Anna and where Tony had disappeared. “The similarities.”

 

“Clint is it?” Anna returned his smile as he nodded to her. “Can you help Dad and Natasha please?”

 

Clint looked at her for a second before sensing that she needed a moment alone with Steve but didn’t want to ask outright. He leapt off the couch, calling out to the rest of the group that ‘the master is coming’. They both watched him go and an awkward tension settled between them. Anna bit her lip as she looked up at Steve. He was staring at her with a look of curiosity, but his eyes were soft.

 

“Please don’t be offended, Captain, that you didn’t know and wasn’t told. There’s only a handful of people who did know.” She paused, but Steve nodded at her to continue, a smile playing on his lips that told her he was understanding. She breathed a sigh of relief, glad at how easy it was to talk to him. “Tony would have been happy to tell everyone years ago, but he respected my privacy during a –” Anna found herself cut off by a loud crash coming from the kitchen, a string of profanities coming from both her dad and Natasha, laughter from Clint. Anna cried out, running a hand through her hair as she apologised to Steve and strode with purpose towards the argument breaking out. “That’s it! Get out of the kitchen!”

 

Tony was pushed out of the kitchen, stumbling ever so slightly. He was laughing as he walked back in the room, only to stop abruptly upon realising he was now alone with Steve. They stood awkwardly, Steve staring directly at Tony while he was trying to look anywhere but the super-solider. He failed. When Tony’s eyes reached his fellow Avenger’s, he felt anger bubble in his chest. In that instant he was reminded of the accusations Steve had made and found he just could _not_ spend another minute alone in the room with him. Ignoring the man, he strode straight to the balcony doors, throwing them open and stepping out in to the evening sun, letting the warm rays heat his face. He leant against the wall acting as a barrier between him and the decent to the street below, closing his eyes and letting the soft sounds of New York calm him.

 

He knew it would be too much to ask for some peace and quiet, for some time alone before he was forced to sit amongst them all. With his eyes still closed, he heard the doors behind him slid shut behind the man who had decided it was be wise to join him. The presence of a body next to him made him stiffen, regardless of there being no outward threat. Tony just couldn’t help himself. He opened his eyes but refused to look and the person standing on his left.

 

“Save it, Rogers,” Tony said harshly, keeping his eyes on the horizon. “If you’re gonna spew that we’re a team and you should have known, don’t bother. I can’t change it, and to be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t even if I could.”

 

There was a good, solid minute of silence where neither of them said anything. It was deafening. Eventually though, if it hadn’t of been for the gentle evening breeze present to them at the very top of the tower carrying Steve’s whispered words, Tony may not have heard them.

 

“I’m sorry, Tony.”

 

Tony bulked, choking slightly as he processed the apology he would not admit to a single soul he had longed to hear. He still refused to look at Steve, shaking his head. “Wow… that’s – that’s really something coming from you, Cap.”

 

Steve sighed beside him. “I’m trying here, Tony.”

 

“What are you apologising for exactly?” Tony exploded, rounding on Steve. All the anger towards his teammate was finally coming out, and Tony made no effort to stop it. There was so much Tony had to say to the super-solider, so much pent-up frustration against the man who had once known his father. Tony knew, at some point, it would all come barrelling out and he was not surprised that now was that time. He’d spent years choking down his thoughts about his father’s unhealthy obsession with the man standing next to him, and he’d thought he’d be able to say something when he first met Steve but found that was not the case. After three years of knowing the man himself, Tony just couldn’t take it any longer. “Tell me, Rogers because I’m done waiting for you to get your head out of your ass. Is it for accusing me of cheating on Pepper, having a scandalous affair with a minor or not believing me when I told you that said minor was in fact my own flesh and blood, my god-damned _daughter_?”

 

“For all of it.” To his credit, Steve looked utterly ashamed at the amount he had to be sorry for. He cast his eyes down, refusing to look at the fire in Tony’s eyes. It took a good few minutes, but when he did finally lock eyes with Tony, Steve tried to put every ounce of emotion he could muster in to his stare. “I was wrong; you’re not – you’re not the man you used to be. You’re better.”

 

Tony wanted to scoff, to tell him to piss off and that he didn’t believe him, didn’t accept but he couldn’t. Tony could see straight off that Steve was being a hundred percent genuine and he wasn’t at all sure how to feel about it. Years had been spent wishing the man had never existed, yet it was never Steve’s fault. He was never to know how shitty of a father Howard would turn out to be. A range of emotions swept over Tony, and it was almost too much to bare.

 

“Way to tug on the heartstrings,” he muttered, discreetly wiping away the wetness that had appeared in the corners of his eyes.

 

“Hey guys.” Both men jumped ever so slightly as Clint pushed open the door to the balcony, calling for them. “Annabelle said dinner will be ready in like, forty-five minutes.” Neither replied, leaving the archer puzzled. He looked between the two, only to receive no sign of a response or an acknowledgement from either of them. He backed away slowly, shaking his head. “Okay, then.”

 

The balcony was left in silence, save from the gentle sounds of the New York evening breeze. Neither men for what felt like a lifetime, both standing and staring off in to the distance. Beside him, Tony could tell Steve had more to say, but he didn’t want to be the first to speak. In a way, Tony himself felt just the same, no matter how much he had to say. Tony mentally calculated almost a full twenty minutes of silence before Steve sighed beside him and made to move back inside. Tony knew if he was ever going to open up to Steve, it would have to be now. If he didn’t, he never would and something inside him told him he should. Those closest in his life (Anna, Pepper, Rhodey and Happy) knew almost everything about his relationship with Howard. Something inside him told Tony it was only right Steve knew to, not because they were close, but because of how close the man had been with his father. Maybe then, Steve would understand that little bit more why Tony was the way he was. Tony took a breath, opening his mouth before he could stop himself.

 

“I never wanted to be like him.”

 

Steve spun round, surprised that Tony had actually spoken. “Who?”

 

Tony had to refrain from rolling his eyes. Only Steve could have no idea who he was talking about. “Him. Howard. My _father_.”

 

Tony scoffed as Steve went to open his mouth. He could only imagine what Steve would say, how he would defend the man he knew back in the forties. “Yeah, he was your friend, but you knew him in a different time.” Tony sighed and shook his head, looking away from Steve briefly, lowering his voice. “He was a different person. I lived as a constant disappointment in his eyes. You know what he was doing every year on my birthday?”

 

The oddness of the question didn’t seem to faze Steve as he moved to once again stand beside Tony. Steve shook his head. “No.”

 

Tony sighed again, looking Steve straight in the eye. “Trying to find you.”

 

Steve’s eyes widened at the admission and Tony wanted to feel a little twinge of satisfaction at shocking the super-soldier, but nothing came. Instead he was left staring at the man, watching as a range of emotions littered over Steve’s features. Finally, Steve’s eyes settled on portraying a sense of deep regret, as though he felt responsible. Steve’s hand twitched as though he wanted to reach out, only stopping himself at the last second. “Tony, I -”

 

Tony waved a hand, dismissing the man’s train of thought. “Not your fault, even I know that,” he sighed again, lowering his voice further, as though the pure burden of relishing in his deepest secrets was too much for him. “But after the twelfth year running it was kind of pointless celebrating it, so I stopped. You know it was a week ago?”

 

Steve shook his head. Shamefully, he’d never even thought of it. Come to think of it, Steve wasn’t even sure he knew when _any_ of his teammates birthdays was. Perhaps it was time to learn more about the people he fought alongside. He voice was almost regretful when he spoke. “I had no idea.”

 

“Good,” Tony stated, nodding his head. “Let’s keep it that way.”

 

Uncomfortable silence swept between them again, giving both men food for thought. Steve was just realising how little he knew his comrades, both former and present and Tony was still in debate whether letting Steve in to his personal life was the right thing to do.

 

After a few minutes Tony cleared his throat, deciding to continue; he’d already started, so why not finish? “I never wanted kids, not really.” Tony shrugged at the unasked question of ‘why’ playing on Steve’s lips. “Didn’t want anyone to depend on me; didn’t want the opportunity to fail anyone else. That would truly make me like Howard.”

 

“You seem to have done an alright job with Annabelle,” Steve said, giving Tony a slight smile.

 

Tony shook his head. “That’s because her mother did the raising; I, thankfully, don’t get that credit.”

 

Steve chose not to comment on the faintest hint of bitterness that had crept in to Tony’s voice, fore it had gone before he’d even finished the sentence. “Where is she now, her mother?”

 

“Dead,” Tony said lowly, blinking back tears as he watched Steve’s eyes widening as he took in the information. “Car accident, six years ago.”

 

“Let me guess,” Steve’s said quietly, his eyes softening in realisation. His voice was low and sympathetic. “Around the time –”

 

“Time Annabelle was first photographed with me.” Tony confirmed, sighing. “Yep.”

 

Steve took a moment before speaking, choosing his words carefully. “Why keep it a secret?” Tony raised an eyebrow at him, silently asking him to continue. “All the trouble you went through…”

 

“Because she was a seventeen-year-old that had never lived in my lifestyle before,” Tony said quickly. It was a question that he’d asked himself on very few occasions, yet always came back to the same answer. It was in Anna’s best interests to keep it quiet and, at the end of the day, that was what she had wanted for all these years. Tony looked at Steve, finding him waiting patiently for him to continue. Tony groaned. “The day she lost her mom was the day she found out I fathered her. She lost everything and gained so much, a whole new family, in such a short space of time; we were all worried how she’d cope. I didn’t even know how _I’d_ cope.”

 

“But you did,” Steve said. “You all did.”

 

“Eventually.” Tony run a hand through his hair as he thought back to those first few months after Anna came to stay with him and Pepper. Whilst there hadn’t been arguments per se, they had been many disagreements, boundaries that had to be explored. Tony had had to work on communicating with someone other than Pepper and Rhodey and Anna had had to learn that Tony would be there to hear her concerns. It took a while, and at certain time it still felt like they were still working on things, but they got there. “The adjustment was… unlike anything I’d dealt with before.”

 

Steve nodded in understanding, a faint red tinge creeping up his neck. “Yet still she managed to turn in to a fine young woman.”

 

“And I’m stopping you right there, Rogers,” Tony said instantly, holding up a hand to Steve’s face, glaring at him. “No daughter of mine is having relations with a super-being, even if they are a hero.”

 

It felt to say it out loud, that Annabelle was his daughter. He couldn’t help the smile playing on his lips as he stared Steve down. Steve’s eyes widened comically.

 

“No worries there, Stark,” Steve held his hands up in surrender, the faint blush now appearing on his cheeks as he laughed at Tony. “She’s a little on the young side.”

 

“You’ve got a point there, Captain,” Tony agreed, a glint in his eye. “What are you, pushing a hundred now?”

 

“Ha, ha.” Steve rolled his eyes, glad that the two of them were able to joke together without tension.

 

An easy silence settled between them for the first time since, Tony believed, they’d first met.

 

“You’re forgiven, by the way,” Tony said suddenly, glancing at Steve. “I accept your apology.”

 

“Thank you,” Steve said, sincerely.

 

“Yeah well,” Tony said, shrugging and scuffing his feet against the floor, hands placed deep in his pockets. He refused to meet Steve’s eyes now. “I don’t want another lecture about forgiveness.”

 

“Pepper?”

 

Tony looked up at his teammate now, smiling with a glint in his eyes. He shook his head. “Anna.”

 

Both men laughed as the balcony door opened, the woman in question appearing before them. The smile never left Tony’s face as she stepped towards them, eyebrow raised in question.

 

“Hey, guys. Dinner will be done in ten.” Both men nodded at her. “Clint’s already broken two plates, can one of you help set the table?”

 

Steve and Tony shared a look, before the super-solider rolled his eyes. “I’ll do it.”

 

“Thank you, Captain.”

 

“Please, call me Steve,” Steve said brightly, glancing back at Tony only to find the man glaring at him once again. It made him laugh once more.

 

“Thank you, Steve.”

 

Anna and Tony watched as Steve left them standing in the evening breeze. Once the door closed, Tony seemed to deflate next to her, sagging against the wall. She looked at him in concern. “Everything okay?”

 

“Peachy.”

 

“Dad,” Anna sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder.

 

“I brought up Howard,” Tony muttered. He closed his eyes and puffed out a harsh breath. “It’s always…”

 

Anna patted his shoulder in sympathy as he trailed off, knowing all too well what talking about his father could do to him. “I know.”

 

Tony stared off to where Steve had disappeared. He sighed again. “Things are always harder than they should be when it comes to Steve.”

 

“You’ll get there – eventually,” Anna said, tilting her head at Tony.

 

“Well, tonight has been a breakthrough, don’t you think?”

 

“We haven’t eaten yet,” Anna reminded him with a smile. Tony rolled his eyes, swatting her hand away where she’d started to pat his cheek.

 

“What are we having?” He asked as he wrapped his arm round her shoulder, leading her back inside.

 

“Baked meatballs,” she stated, knowing it was one of his favourite recipes from her mom’s cookbook.

 

Tony’s eye lit up. “Your mom’s?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Yum.”

 

By the time they returned inside, Steve had had the table laid and they found Clint sulking on the couch, where he’d been banished from the kitchen by Natasha. Bruce was consulting with JARVIS on how the meal was supposed to be finished while Natasha stirred the sauce, stopping it from burning. Anna left Tony with his teammates, shooing everyone away, assuring them that she had it covered.

 

* * *

 

 

The night had, surprisingly, been completely fine. No arguments and been endured and there were only a few questions asked about why they’d lied to everyone before conversation moved on to other things. Both Tony and Anna were grateful that the group had taken it as well as they had, neither wanting to imagine what would have happened if they hadn’t. Annabelle still hadn’t brought up the fact that she was thinking of moving to New York to be closer to Tony, believing it best to leave it until after the press release at least. There was only so many bombshells she could drop on him in the space of twenty-four hours. Annabelle had managed to have a conversation with everyone in turn, enjoying the company of Natasha and Steve the most. Neither pried too much in to her life before coming to live with Tony, but they were content with hearing anything she did happen to mention. Clint, on the other hand, seemed to want to make it his mission to find out everything he could about her, to the point where she and Tony had both looked at each other and, at the same time, asked JARVIS to lock him out of the network. _That_ had caused a great deal of laughter from the group, who truly got a first glimpse of just how alike the father daughter duo was.

 

Pepper had managed to join them close to ten o’clock, well after the meatballs had been demolished and four bottles of wine had disappeared between the five of those drinking. She took Anna’s place next to Tony on the couch while the younger woman jumped up to warm the plate of food she’d place aside for her hours ago. When she’s returned and handed the plate over, she’d taken the seat on Tony’s other side, snuggling under his arm and the seven of them talked well in to the night. Without realising it, they’d seen in Anna’s birthday. Tony had jumped up, declared that there should be cake and had tried to instruct JARVIS to order one when a hand from each of the two women in his life had been placed on either arm stopped him. The rest of the team had looked on in awe as Tony simply shit off mid-sentence and lowered himself back in his seat. Nothing close had been seen by the team before and, honestly, none of them had known how to react. The night had eventually ended after a chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ and Tony proclaiming presents will be given in the morning. Anna had left the rest of the adults and slipped off to bed, not before hearing Steve exclaiming that none of them had gotten her anything.

 

For the most part, Anna had enjoyed her birthday. Gina’s morning call had woken her a little earlier than she’d have liked, but she was grateful nonetheless. Back and forth texting from Sam had followed and she’d barely had time to change before Tony came barging in declaring a full itinerary of birthday activities before the press conference at six. Anna spent the entire day surrounded by people, even Rhodey had managed to squeeze an hour in the middle of travelling between meetings, leaving her barely a moment to herself to think. Eventually, Pepper had been the one to notice that she’d needed a minute to herself, informing everyone else that the two of them needed to get ready and prepare for the conference. They’d gone down to Anna’s floor and she had thanked her sort of step-mother, who simply brushed it off and told her to be in the lobby in forty-five minutes.

 

She’d made it downstairs with less than five minutes to spare, Pepper, Tony and Happy waiting patiently for her. Whilst Pepper and Happy were dressed in their usual business attire and Tony his trademark look including the glasses, Anna had opted for a deep red, long sleeved dress that reached mid-thigh and heeled sandals, her hair pinned at the base of her neck. Tony greeted her with open arms the moment she stepped off the elevator, ignoring Pepper’s cautions to be careful of the young woman’s hair. Tony kissed the top of her hair lightly and held her at arms-length by her shoulders.

 

“You really do not have to do this today, there is honestly no obligation for you to even be the one to do this.” His eyes told her he was serious, his face set as he tried to reason with her. “Why don’t we just go back upstairs and enjoy the rest of birthday whilst we still can. Pep can cancel this whole thing, can’t you?”

 

Pepper raised an eyebrow before walking away, heading to speak to the man she’d been coordinating with since the previous day. Clipboards were brought out, Pepper running her finger along what she assumed was a list of the approved people present outside the tower. Anna swallowed and gave Tony a nervous smile.

 

“And let all Pepper’s hard work go to waste? Shame on you, Stark.” She tried to laugh, but it fell short and betrayed just how nervous she was feeling. The country was about to find out that the richest man in the world was her father, something no one out there was expecting to be divulged to them today. Her heart pounded against her chest as she thought about the bombardment of questioning she would no doubt be getting as soon as she opened her mouth. She and Pepper had gone through what to expect at length the day before, whilst cooped up in the older woman’s office as the final arrangements were made. Pepper had showed her a few of Tony’s previous press conferences, as well as some other rather high-profile examples, highlighting how brutal reporters could be. She’d warned Anna that they may know things she thought hidden and to expect the worst. She shook her head. “No, we’re doing this. I asked for this to happened today, Dad – this was my idea and I’m sticking by my decision to do this… with you standing out there right by my side.”

 

Tony raised an eyebrow but didn’t actually seemed surprised or affronted by the revelation… he seemed rather… proud. “And since when, exactly, was that decided?”

 

“About twenty seconds ago.” Though, from the street side view, the glass doors were tinted to prevent outsiders looking in, they could see the crowd that had built up outside perfectly clearly. Anna started pacing as she saw just how many people had turned up to hear her speak. She hadn’t been expecting that. Pepper hadn’t told them just how many people had been called upon, just simply telling them to expect a _few_. “Shit, this is scary.”

 

Tony held am arm out to stop her, but she shrugged it off, so he joined her in pacing instead, keeping right by her side. “It’s only going to get worse once it’s out there.” When she finally stopped long enough to look at him, Tony found his heart breaking for her. He pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her and hiding her from view. “Trust me, Anna, they’re gonna ask you questions – they’ll want to know everything. Every single detail there is to know.”

 

“I’ll be fine,” Anna said, blowing out a breath against his chest. She tried to pull away, but Tony wouldn’t let her. She sighed, giving up. “Just promise me you won’t leave my side.”

 

Tony held her at arms-length now and looked as though this was the easiest thing ever requested of him. “I promise.”

 

Pepper came striding back over to them, smiling softly at the pair. She pulled Anna away from Tony and in to a quick hug before releasing her, smoothing away the stray hairs framing Anna’s face. Anna swallowed, knowing what was coming.

 

“They’re ready for you,” Pepper said, throwing on her business mask once more. “Keep your head up and remember you only have to say what _you_ want to; nothing more, nothing less.” She took Anna’s hand in her own. “There is no obligation to give them any more than that. The ball is in your court, not theirs.”

 

Anna simply nodded, not trusting herself to speak for fear of backing out. With Tony at her side, she stepped through the lobby doors and out in to the street, up to the little podium set out with a small microphone. Instantly there were flashes of light as multiple reporters took photos, all aiming to get the best picture to publish to whichever magazine or newspaper they were there to represent. Anna would have bulked if she hadn’t felt Tony’s hand on the small of her back at that moment. It was the lightest of touches, missed by most if they hadn’t of been watching, but it was enough for Anna to hold herself straight and confident as she cleared her throat, leaning forward ever so slightly towards the mic, ready to address the crowd.

 

“Okay, here we go,” she said quietly to herself, taking a deep breath. She spoke directly in to the mic now, surprising herself with how strong her voice was carried to every last person.

 

“Evening. I haven’t done this before so please bear with me. There’s been a lot of speculation about who I am and my relationship with Tony.” Immediately, an onslaught of questions came her way. She took a few deep breaths, giving everyone a few seconds to realise that she was _not_ answering anyone anytime soon. Nodding once only the flashing lights remained and the hoard of people were once again silent, Annabelle continued the speech she had written down and memorised. “My name is Annabelle Maria Cooper, I grew up in Boston and today is my twenty-third birthday.

 

“There is nothing scandalous or sordid about my relationship with the man standing beside me today,” she turned briefly to Tony, who was grinning widely at her, a look of pride in his eyes behind the tinted glasses. It was all the encouragement she needed; her voice became stronger and unfaltering. “Honestly, the mere thought of it is quite frankly both disturbing and disgusting. Anthony Stark is not, nor has he ever been, my lover. Tony Stark is my father.”

 

A sharp intake of breath from the crowd was instantaneously followed by a further barrage of questioning, which she once again ignored. She raised her voice, letting the mic carry it over every single person trying to have their moment, their question heard.

 

“Six years ago, not even a few weeks before the first photo of myself and Tony was published, I had only just found that he was my father, and he my existence. My mother had been killed in a car accident and it had led to a revelation that would change both our lives, all our lives. An exceedingly difficult time was made worse by an invasion of not only Tony’s privacy, but my own, something I was in no way prepared for. The stories you are all running about Tony, about the both of us, are disrespectful and a defamation of character.” She paused now, letting her eyes travel over everyone in front of her. She could tell, after just one quick glance, that not a single one of them cared. They were all there for a story, the best story they could get. Not one of them cared that they could end up ruining lives, destroying relationships or ripping friendships apart. It sickened Anna to know that they would do anything, write anything, just to have their name at the bottom of the article. There was more Annabelle had wanted to say. She had written down more details, had wanted to share more to give an insight to the relationship she’d built with Tony, but she decided against it. The realisation that it would only be used against her, used to portray the both of them in a bad light. She shook her head, feeling Tony step ever so slightly closer to her, his hand on her back again. She turned to look at him and he gave her a subtle nod, letting her know it was okay to stop, that she could end it. She nodded in return.

 

“You now have the truth; I am the daughter of Tony Stark. I don’t know about my Dad,” Anna gestured to Tony, smiling. “He may wish to clarify a few things, but I will not be answering any questions for you tonight.”

 

Annabelle stepped back from the podium, completely ignoring the people shouting her name, calling her back and demanding more. She locked eyes with Tony, taking a deep breath and giving him a kiss on the cheek. It only riled the reporters up more. She made to push open the lobby door but Tony’s hand on her arm stopped her. She looked at him questioningly, but he shook his head and slipped his hand in hers, keeping her out there with him. He turned to the reporters, flashes of light coming thick and fast as those with cameras fought to capture the perfect picture of the two. Tony’s face was set; mouth in a thin line and eyes dark beneath the glasses. He didn’t even try to smile.

 

“Well, I think Annabelle had said enough for both of us, don’t you?” He glared at them all before morphing a faux smile on his face. It made him look… dangerous. Annabelle almost cringed back, almost. Tony gestured to her, keeping his eyes on the reporters. “Like she said, you have the truth now. Anyone publishing anything other than that will be receiving a lawsuit. You have been warned.”

 

And with that, Tony turned on his heel and pulled the both of them through the lobby doors, letting them bang closed behind the two of them. It partially drowned out the screams of people demanding to know more than what they’d already been told, but not completely. Tony led them both over to where Happy and Pepper were waiting for them, both smiling widely. Once Tony was happy with how much distance he’d put between them and the doors, he spun round and engulfed Anna in a hug, squeezing her tightly.

 

“I’m so proud of you, you know that right?”

 

Anna returned the gesture, holding on to Tony as if her life depended on it. They stayed like that for a few seconds before Anna pulled back, not enough to release herself from Tony’s hold, but enough to be able to look at Pepper.

 

“Was that alright?” she asked, uncertainty seeping in to her voice. Any confidence she’d built up standing outside in front of everyone had gone. “Did I give them enough?”

 

“You did brilliantly, Anna.,” Pepper said, coming over and pulling her away from Tony, the man reluctantly letting her go. Pepper once again smoothed down the stray hairs from her face as she grinned. Happy come over now, patted Anna on the back before handing a phone she recognised as her own to her. She thanked him but looked at Pepper questioningly. “Take minute and call Gina before we finish celebrating your birthday.”

 

“Right.” Anna nodded, pulling up her godmother’s contact and allowing her phone to hover over the call button. She looked back up between Tony and Pepper, shaking her head. “That was scary.”

 

“Love you,” Tony said before instructing Happy to take the girl upstairs. As they disappeared on to the elevator, Tony spun round and pulled Pepper in to his arms, planting a kiss on her lips with a sincere smile. “And you. You are amazing, thank you for this, Pep.”

 

Pepper laughed and kissed him back. “Always, Tony.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review! I'd love to know how everyone's finding this story!


	13. Chapter 13

**Who is Annabelle Cooper? –** _**15,702 hits** _

* * *

" _The elusive Annabelle Cooper hasn't been since revealing that she is in actual fact the illegitimate daughter of none other than Tony Stark. It's unclear whether she is currently living in the_ Avengers' Tower _with Mr Stark and the rest of Earths Mightiest Heroes or if she has managed to sneak out under our reporters' watchful eyes._ "

* * *

**Annabelle Cooper or Annabelle Stark? –** _**12,459 hits** _

* * *

" _Is this all just about money? Is it just a play to get her hands on the Stark family fortune? Is there any actual evidence supporting her claims? The question still of everyone's minds is – who is she?_ "

* * *

**Tony Stark's secret daughter –** _**96,964 hits** _

* * *

" _I get it, I do. She wasn't even an adult when she discovered who her biological father was. She'd lost her mother and, unprepared, suddenly found this whole new world thrust upon her. Think back to when you were a teenager – can you honestly say you would have been able to adapt to such a big transition so easily?_ "

" _There's giving a grace period, understandably, but six years is a long time to deny you have a child._ "

* * *

**Tony Stark ashamed of daughter? –** _**200,183 hits** _

* * *

" _There's a few rumours circulating that Tony 'Iron Man' Stark fought to keep the whole thing a secret to avoid tarnishing the reputation he'd spent the last half a decade to make for himself. Let's face it; he'd finally managed to undo the mess created by Obadiah Stain in 'oh eight, he was in a stable relationship for the first time in, well, who knows? Finding out he had a teenage daughter he claims he didn't know about?_ "

" _You think he knew?_ "

" _How can a man in his position not know?_ "

" _There's a lot that hasn't been said and quite frankly, regardless of who they are, they're still entitled to privacy and I think now is the time that people learn to respect that._ "

* * *

"How long have you been sitting in here?"

Tony's voice rang out in the silence of Annabelle's private lounge. She didn't jump at the sound, as if she knew already that he was there, instead she stayed looking at the now blank TV screen. Since the press release she'd done on her parentage, there had been countless news segments on her, on Tony and even some of the sparse information they could find on her mother. She had watched every single one of them on repeat. Annabelle sniffed and pulled the blanket covering her up to her neck, letting the discarded TV control fall to the floor.

"Will they ever stop?"

Tony came over and sat on the end of the couch, pulling her blanketed feet on to his lap, rubbing circles into her ankles. He stayed quite for a moment, not wanting to be too harsh. He finally sighed.

"Probably not," he tugged the blanket away from where Anna groaned and tried to hide her face. "It'll die down eventually, but as soon as you step outside it'll start again."

"How do you cope with it?" Annabelle asked, shifting away and sitting with her knees to her chest. She buried her head in her hands, her voice coming out muffled. "The things they're saying about you, me… about mom…"

Tony sighed. "I've had to deal with this since I was born." Anna moved her hands away and glared at him. He raised his hands, realising that that probably wasn't the best thing to say. "It takes time, but eventually you learn to brush it off and ignore it."

"Will I?"

"Yes, you will. In a few days they'll find something new to move on to and this whole thing will be yesterday's news." Anna had her head back in her hands and Tony decided he'd had enough of her wallowing in self-pity. He tore the blanket away from her, throwing it to the floor. She looked at him in shock as he stood in front of her, holding out a hand. "Come on."

"Excuse me?"

Tony rolled his eyes and took Anna's hands in his own, yanking her up. She stumbled in to him, her feet having been caught under her. Tony instantly pulled her in to a hug, wrapping his arms around her, holding her close and kissing her hair. She melted in to his touch, gripping on to him as if her life depended on it. Tony felt his heart break a little for her. In the week since she's announced herself as his daughter, she hadn't been able to leave the tower without being bombarded by reporters and their cameramen. After two days, she'd just stopped leaving, choosing instead to remain on her floor, only venturing upstairs when Tony or Pepper demanded she join them for dinner. Her floor wasn't even her floor until after the press conference. On the rare occasion that she did stay in the tower (and rare they were), she would always occupy the guest room on Tony and Peppers private floor. It was only the night of her birthday that Anna had admitted to him that she had been thinking of the possibility of moving in to the tower with him, if that was okay. Tony's eyes had brightened and he'd instantly pulling her by the arm, instructing JARVIS to take them down by two floors. Once there, he'd told her to press her palm to the keypad by the door and instantly the doors opened, revealing an entire floor kitted out to her needs, all that was needed was her own personal touch. Anna shifted in his arms, sniffing.

"Where are we going?"

Her voice was quiet and muffled against his chest and Tony's heart ached for her. He'd gotten to a point in his life where he had learnt not to care what the press said about him, it came after years upon years of showing himself in a less than savoury light. This wasn't something he wanted for her.

He released her, holding her at arm's length. "To get lunch." Her eyes widened slightly but Tony shook his head at her. "Now everyone knows, I want to finally show the world my daughter."

"But –" Anna started, pulling away from Tony, only for the man to cut her off with a groan and a roll of the eyes.

"Anna, the longer you stay hidden away, the more the vultures will dig their talons in."

Anna raised an eyebrow at his whining. "Okay, Dad," she said, patting him gently on the forearm and gesturing towards her room. "But I was only trying to say I need to change."

Tony looked her up and down briefly before shrugging. "Why? You look fine."

Anna looked down at herself. She was wearing a mix of two different pyjama sets and thick, fluffy red socks. She rolled her eyes at Tony, gesturing a hand at herself. "I'm wearing Iron Man pants and a Hulk tank top. The reporters will have a field day snapping me walking the streets showcasing my father's band of merry men upon my person."

"Point taken," he said, releasing her arms. She moved off towards her bedroom before he backtracked. "Band of merry men? Come on, sweetpea – 'Earth Mightiest Heroes'."

"Keep telling yourself that, Tony." Anna turned to grin at him as she sped up a little, putting more distance between them.

"Why you little…"

Tony advance on her, running around the couch. Anna responded by sprinting towards her room, but Tony was too fast for her. He caught her round the middle, tickling her sides. She shrieked in laughed until she couldn't breathe.

"Alright, alright – stop it!" Her tears had turned in to those of laughter and she fought to control her breathing, gasping as she spoke. "I'm sorry, you're all  _very_ mighty."

Tony nodded in agreement, releasing her and stepping back, checking his watch. "Meet you downstairs in twenty?"

"Forty-five," Anna said instantly, standing straight and holding her sides. She looked up to find Tony staring incredulously at her, as if she'd spoken a foreign language. She rolled her eyes at him. "What? I gotta shower."

Tony rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he left. "Women."

* * *

" _Tony Stark and daughter, Annabelle Cooper, were all smiles today as they left_ Avengers Tower _, seemingly confirming rumours that she is indeed living there. It's the first time either of them has been seen since two days after Miss Cooper publicly announced that Mr Stark was in actual fact her father. Sources positioned within close proximity to the tower have reported that the two were engaging in light-hearted conversation and appearing oblivious to the crowd around them as they got in to a car and driven away by Mr Stark's personal driver, Happy Hogan._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys! So I know this chapter is really short by my standards (I haven't written a single chapter under 3000 words for this fic) but I felt that I just needed a little filler before moving on to the rest of the story.
> 
> As per, please like and review!
> 
> Courtney xx


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note at the end will contain Endgame spoilers after the **
> 
> You have been warned.

By the beginning of July, Anna had almost become completely accustomed to living full time at Avengers tower. Though strange for the first couple of weeks, Anna found that the entire team had welcomed her with open arms. Each and every one of them had been more than happy to include her in their daily household discussions and dinners, even rostering her in to do her share of the cooking – and she did not mind one bit. Though each Avenger still liked to maintain their privacy, they each offered to show her glimpses in to their everyday lives. She could tell how happy it made Tony, seeing her being welcomed willingly and so freely. After her birthday and the announcement, Anna noticed Tony had a much more relaxed attitude. Most people would assume nothing had changed, but most people didn't know him like she did. Life inside the tower was good, far better than she'd imagined. Outside however…

Outside the tower was a completely different story. News outlets were finally starting to tire from running the same story about her announcing her relationship to Tony, but that still hadn't stopped reporters from camping outside the tower, just waiting to get a glimpse or her or Tony. It had become such an inconvenience; it was causing problems for the employees of Stark Industries that used the lobby on a day to day basis. Their presence had gotten so bad in the last few weeks that Tony had had to allow company employees to use the private entrance underneath the tower usually reserved only for the inhabitants. It wasn't ideal, but it would do until the reporters tired of getting nothing from them day after day. Luckily, the day to day activities for the Avengers wasn't disturbed too much; if they needed to leave, they'd take the quinjet from the roof.

Anna hoped it would die down completely soon and the reports move on. She's managed to get herself a part time job at the community centre on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, working with teenagers. She was looking forward to it and it was something new. She hadn't been able to do anything since moving in to the tower and it was starting to get her down. Hopefully that was about to change.

* * *

Two weeks passed and Anna was feeling more and more like her old self. She enjoyed the three afternoons she spent with the teenagers at the community centre and she was happy that they'd warmed up to her quite quickly. She may have only been working there for two weeks but she was already getting a sense of fulfillment from just being outside doing  _something_ , no matter how small it seemed to some people.

Today was Monday and, though she'd had a late night the night before, Anna woke feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead. She wasn't due at the community centre until one that afternoon and deciding to forgo showering and getting dressed. She took the elevator upstairs, planning to eat breakfast with the early risers. Stepping out of the elevator, she expected to find Steve or Pepper propped up against the breakfast bar. She was not, however, expecting to see Tony slouched on one of the stools, forehead pressed against the bars surface, a mug of steaming coffee beside him.

Anna scanned the large room but found no one in the immediate vicinity. She skipped over to him, wincing at the wafting aroma of Tony's far too strong coffee and took the seat next to him, poking at his shoulder with her forefinger.

"So…?"

"So…?" Tony mumbled; his face still plastered to the cool surface of the bar.

"Have you put anymore thought in to it?"

She was referring to the engagement rings for Pepper the two of them had been looking at the previous night. They'd spent hours combing through various catalogues and searching online before she'd grown tired and gone to her room, leaving Tony to continue on his own. When he didn't instantly answer, Anna poked him in the side. He jerked back and shot her a filthy look before folding his arms across the bar and resting his head against them. She barely heard his muttered response.

"In to what?"

Anna raised an eyebrow at him. "Seriously?"

"Anna, it's," he repositioned himself enough to see the time on his watch. "Seven-thirty in the morning. I have my first board meeting in years in less than two hours and I haven't even had a sip of coffee yet."

It was only then that Anna noticed the way he was dressed. A tailored suit, and crisp white shirt completed with his trademarked sneakers and tinted glasses lying next to his phone on the bar. She hadn't noticed before because of the way he was slouched forward, but he did look rather smart. It was weird. What was weirder was the admission that he was actually up early to do work.

"Since when do you attend board meetings?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Since my girlfriend decided it was time that I took an active role in my company again."

"She has a point." Tony turned and gave her another filthy look, though she knew there was no heat behind it. She still rolled her eyes at him and reached over to try and tame the unruly hair atop his head. She dodged him when he tried to swat her hand away. "Don't look at me like that, Dad, you know I'm right."

He shrugged and grabbed his coffee mug, inhaling the steam and sighing in content.

Anna clicked her fingers in front of his face "You still haven't answered my question."

"Which was?"

"Dad." She fixed him with a glare.

"Sweetpea, I'm running on empty," Tony groaned out. "How can you possibly expect me to have any idea what you're talking about."

"Honestly," Anna said, shaking her head and running her fingers through her hair. "You are unbelievable."

Tony smirked at her. "I try."

Anna shook her head at him again. "I literally left you reading the catalogues before face-timing Sam and going to bed.

"Oh," Tony said, finally realising what she was talking about. " _That_."

Anna rolled her eyes. "Yes,  _that_." When he again made no attempt to answer, she poked him once more in the ribs. "Well?"

"Quit it. I made some calls," Tony said with a roll of his hand as he drained his coffee in one go. "Someone's coming when Pepper's in California next week."

"Progress," Anna said, nodding in approval. She reached to the fruit bowl for an apple. "Can I be here?"

"Well, yeah," Tony said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I have no self-control."

* * *

Having finished her couple of hours at the community centre, Anna found herself making the fifteen black walk back to the tower alone. It made no sense to her to be picked up by Happy (or one of the other drivers Tony kept at hand) when it would be quicker to walk given the traffic at that time of day. She liked the walk; it was decent exercise. Sure, she had access to the Avengers gym back at the tower, and Pepper had even offered the services of her personal trainer, but it wasn't the same as physically being outside. She'd always preferred to walk to high school rather than take the bus, sometimes she'd even cycle. When she'd lived in the Malibu mansion, she'd walk for hours on the beach and swim in the open ocean. There had been no chance for that now she lived in New York so walking to and from work was all she managed to do.

Six blocks down and nine to go, Anna felt her cell vibrate in the back pocket of her jeans. She knew who it would be without even looking at the caller ID. Gina had made it a habit to call at the same time every day she knew Anna worked at the community centre. In theory, she would normally catch Anna once she'd already gotten home and showered but Anna had stayed later at the centre this particular Wednesday afternoon, talking to a young girl who had recently lose her mother. Anna swept the screen to answer the call, placing it to her ear.

"I'm heading back to the tower now; I'm only nine blocks away."

Anna heard Gina freeze, the pen she could hear her godmother writing with dropped against what sounded like the wooden desk in Gina's office. Anna sighed; she knew what was coming.

Gina cleared her throat down the line. " _Alone_?"

"Yes, alone," Anna said, rolling her eyes as she waited for a car to pass before jogging across the road. She shook her head to herself before replying. "I'm a big girl, Gina, I don't need a babysitter or a bodyguard every time I go to work - or whenever I go out in general."

" _But it's New York._ " Anna shook her head again. It was a familiar argument between the two of them, sometimes even Tony added his opinion, more often than not siding with Gina, though Anna told him to butt out most of the time. " _You're not exactly a normal person anymore either, Anna_."

"Gee, thanks," Anna said, trying and failing to sound offended.

Gina laughed softly down the line. " _You know what I mean, baby girl; I'm only trying to look out for you_."

"I know you are," Anna smiled as she said it, knowing her godmother was just fulfilling the promise she made to her mother when she took on the role all those years ago. "And it's appreciated."

" _But not warranted._ " Anna knew Gina well enough to know the woman was rolling her eyes. " _I've got to go. I'll call you later_?"

"You can try…" Anna said, turning a corner, and side stepping a woman with a pushchair. "I might ignore you though."

" _Funny, Annabelle._ "

"You love me, Gianna."

Gina growled down the line, making Anna laugh. " _Unfortunately. Keep it up though, sweetheart, keep it up._ "

Anna bid her godmother goodbye and ended the call, replacing the cell in the back pocket of her jeans. She had seven blocks left to go, and the closer she got to the tower, the busier the roads and sidewalks seemed to be. She kept her walk to the brisk pace she'd adopted years ago, though her steps faltered once she noticed a group of people rushing in her direction. The nearby crosswalk was green in her favour, and once to the other side she hoped the group would stay on the other side of the road. They didn't.

No sooner had her feet touched the concrete, the group were only a few feet in front of her, and it was only then she noticed the cameras round their necks, and phones in hand.

"Shit."

Despite walking to and from work for the last few weeks, and living in New York for nearly two months, Anna had not yet been able to figure out the many different routes back to the tower. The route she normally took was straightforward and got her from the community centre back to the tower quickly, but evidently word had gotten out where and when people would be able to find her. She really needed to expand her knowledge of the side streets. There was no avoiding these people now. Anna tried to keep her head down and pick up her pace once more, pushing past the group now blocking the sidewalk.

"Miss Cooper, can you tell us anything about –" The woman was cut off as another spoke over her.

"Anna! Anna! Is it true that –" She found herself unable to answer that even if she wanted to because these people were incapable of letting others speak and waiting their turn.

"Are you going to be actively pushed up the ladder in to Stark Industries?"

"Are you being groomed to take over as CEO?"

Honestly, where did these people get their information from? While it was true, the topic of her working for SI had come up over dinner with Tony and Pepper a few time in recent years, it had never been more than an idea she had shot down. In fact, there hadn't been a single been a single mention from her dad and should-be-step-mother since a couple of months before her move from California.

Anna found her path completely blocked, forcing her to stop. She looked around, people had stopped and were staring but no one seemed the least bit inclined to help her out of her situation. She groaned as she tried to push past the eight or nine people all throwing questions at her unmoving.

"Did your mothers never teach you to respect women?"

Anna knew that voice. An instant sense of calm and relief settled through her veins and she stopped trying to force her way through and turned around. Steve was standing there, tall and imposing, bike parked behind him and helmet dangling from his hand. His gaze found Anna's and he tilted his head slightly, silently asking if she was okay. She nodded, but she knew that seeing her surrounded told him otherwise. His gaze narrowed as one reporter broke away from the group and approached him, a smirk on his face as he raised his phone to film. He looked between Steve and Anna.

"Captain Rogers, Sir, are you and Miss Cooper –"

"Son," Steve said, cutting the man off. He raised a hand at the man and turned his head away. "You do not want to finish that sentence."

The questions came from all of them in full force once more, evidently taking Steve's refusal to answer as an answer in itself. In their effort to get to Steve, to question him more, one of them knocked in to Anna, sending her hurtling to the floor. She didn't hit it however, for Steve had seen what had happened and reached her before she hit the ground. With his arm still wrapped round her shoulders, Anna looked up at him to thank him, but she noted the hard set of his jaw and the darkness clouding his eyes. He pulled her tighter against him, not painfully, but enough for her to know that he would not let her be knocked down again.

"Annabelle, let's go." His hand moved to the small of her back as he guided her away from the reporters and to his bike. He picked his helmet up from the floor (where she suspected he'd dropped it when lunging for her) and handed it to her. "Take this and hop on."

He helped her on to the back of the bike, then ensured the helmets strap was safely secured under her chin before climbing on the bike himself. Anna immediately wrapped her arms round his waist as he kicked the bike to life and rode away from the sidewalk and the reporters in to the late afternoon traffic. He weaved alongside the cars until they were more than a block away before slowing down to a more appropriate speed, which Anna was very much grateful for. She'd never been on the back of a bike before and though she trusted Steve, it failed to quell the uneasiness in the pit of her stomach. Anna could feel the tension radiating off Steve and, given what had just happened, she didn't blame him.

"Riding without a helmet, Captain?" she said lightly, tutting.

"I only have the one and I'd rather you be safe." Steve raised his voice slightly so she could hear him, and she could hear the anger still in it. "I can take a hit if needs be."

"I hope you don't have to," Anna said softly, not wanting to think about the possibility of them crashing.

Steve seemed to notice this, because she felt him physically trying to relax and some of the tension drain away from where her head rested against his shoulder. "Hold tight."

The rest of the journey was made in silence, neither speaking. It only took a few minutes, and soon they were pulling in to the underground garage of the tower, parking in Steve's designated space. He switched of the engine and climbed off the bike first, helping Anna off after. Her fingers numb from gripping to Steve's shirt so tight, she fumbled for the strap of the helmet, Steve saving her once more by reaching over and unclipping it for her. She yanked the helmet off her head and left it resting on the bikes seat and run her fingers through her hair.

"Thanks," she said, gratefully, not only meaning the ride home to the tower but from rescuing her in the first place. He nodded but didn't respond. Anna could tell the incident was bothering him. A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Where'd you even come from?"

"SHIELD."

"Ah," she said. "Anything interesting?"

"That's classified."

"Of course it is." She rolled her eyes and shook her head, smiling at him. He returned it. Anna sighed inwardly in relief. She jabbed her thumb towards the private elevator used by only the residents of the tower. "You coming up?"

Steve shook his head. "Just dropping you off. I've gotta head back out, or Fury will have my –" He stopped himself suddenly, causing a grin to spread across Anna's face. He rolled his eyes and muttered. "Backside."

"Don't worry, Steve," Anna said, patting him lightly on the shoulder as she jokingly looked around to see if anyone could hear them. "You can say  _ass_  around me – I won't tell anyone."

Anna laughed as his face reddened. It had happened one day last week, during an argument with Clint about doing the dishes, Steve had slipped up and called Clint an ass. The slip of the tongue had caused not only Steve to freeze, but everyone else who had been present at dinner to as well. The red-faced Captain had profusely apologised to all ladies present and immediately left the room, but not before Tony and Clint had broken in to wheezing laughter. The two had proceed to mock Steve every time they saw him, which meant the man head taken to avoiding the communal areas whenever he could.

Steve groaned, head in hands. "I'm never gonna live that down am I?"

"With Dad and Clint around?" Anna said, patting him once more on the arm. "Never."

"I grew up in a different time…" he trailed off, his face turning an even deeper shade of red.

"Aw, you're blushing!" Anna said, laughing. She could tell Steve was feeling embarrassed, so she stopped laughing, not wanting him to feel uncomfortable. "Don't worry, Steve, they'll forget about it… eventually."

Steve looked at her sceptically. "No they won't."

"No they won't," she agreed. "Sure you don't have time to come up, I can make you something for lunch?"

"Honestly, I can't," he said, standing straight and reaching to take his helmet off the bikes seat. "I really do have to head back out."

Anna nodded. "Is there anything I can do to thank you for saving me from those vultures?"

"Annabelle, it was my genuine pleasure, no thanks needed. We've all had our run-ins with them." He smiled brightly at her, and she returned it. He secured the helmet and climbed back on the bike. "Now I really do have to go. I'll see you at the weekend."

"Bye, Steve."

He kick started the bike and she watched him ride away back out of the garage. Once he'd disappeared, she made her way to the private elevator, JARVIS activating it as soon as she stepped on. She leaned against the mirrored wall; arms spread out behind her to hold on to the rail. She was thinking. Steve had done her a real favour when he'd suddenly turned up and safely led her away from the reporters. She knew the stories likely to be printed over the next few days, but she found she didn't care. She knew he would stop and help anybody in distress, but she still wanted to thank him properly. She mentally listed all the things she knew he liked and instantly an idea came to mind.

She tilted her head up to the little camera positioned in the corner. "JARVIS?"

" _Yes, Miss Cooper?_ "

"Put in an order at the place Steve usually orders his art supplies from, that little shop in Brooklyn," she said, knowing JARVIS would already be adding everything to the stores online basket. "A big bundle of everything he buys; pencils, sketchpads, watercolours, brushes – everything. Charge it to my private account, not the one my Dad set up – I don't care of the price."

" _Very well. Would you like anything else included?_ "

"No," she said. Her eyes widened when a sudden thought crossed her mind. "Wait, yes. Can you see if they gift wrap? I know some places do."

A second passed. " _I can confirm they do, indeed, gift wrap._ "

"Then pay the extra for that and have them write 'thank you' on the card." She smiled to herself. "He'll know who it's from."

" _Order has been confirmed. Anything I can help you with, Miss Cooper?_ "

"No thanks, J, just drop me off on my floor," Anna sighed and leaned against the elevator wall, groaning as the stress of the journey home worked its way through her bones. "I need to shower."

" _Very well._ "

Just two days later, Steve opened the package delivered to him, to find countless items gift wrapped especially for him. There was no card, but he didn't need one, for he looked straight at Anna, mouthing his thanks before taking the package to his room.

* * *

The day after the incident with the reporters, Anna had continued to maintain that she would not be driven to and from work. Tony had insisted after the first article, accompanied by a large image of her and Steve, with his hand on her lower back, appeared online. Gina had also pleaded with her to rethink the idea, but Anna had shot the both of them down, reminding them that she is an adult. She did however, without either of them knowing, ask Happy if he would be willing to take her round New York for the day to show her the best routes to take to certain places, the best side streets she could duck down to avoid another incident. The man had been more than willing, taking her out in one of Tony's lesser known of cars and even her take notes of everything he said in the notebook he'd prepared for her. She appreciated it.

Friday came, bringing with it Peppers departure for a two-week conference in California. Her bags were packed and waiting by the elevator, the woman off somewhere finishing something before joining Anna and Tony on the communal floor to say goodbye. Clint was there to, having returned from a SHIELD briefing ten minutes before. Anna had made them all a snack, giving that both men looked dead on their feet from lack of food. The three of them discussed the work Anna had been doing at the community centre, with her animatedly telling them how much more could be done for teenagers suffering through loss when the tell-tale sounds of expensive stiletto heels against tiled floor announcing Peppers arrival. They looked up as she rounded the corner leading from the concealed staircase that led to her and Tony's private floor. StarkPad in hand as she walked towards them, she looked up and locked eyes with Anna, grinning.

"I come baring good news."

"You're finally taking that well deserved vacation," Tony said, throwing his hands in the air. "Where are we going?"

"Tony, you know as well as I do, there's no time as CEO to take a vacation." Pepper rolled her eyes at him as she bent down to kiss his cheek. "Besides, the good news wasn't for you."

"I'm deeply hurt," Tony said, a hand placed against his chest.

"You'll live." Pepper typed something on the StarkPad, her fingers skimming the screen quickly before she flipped the case closed. She reached over and stole Tony's coffee from the table next to him despite his protests. "Anna, Sam's paperwork came through."

"What!" Anna all but shouted, jumping up from her place on the couch. "Seriously, when?"

"Who's Sam?" Clint asked, though he was completely ignored by the three of them.

Pepper grinned at Anna again, taking a seat on the couch and pulling Anna back down with her. She flipped the case of the StarkPad back open and, after a few clicks, handed it to Anna. The younger woman took it, the screen clearly displaying Sam's contract. She skimmed it, her grin widening the further through the offer she got. She looked up as Pepper spoke. "I've known it was cleared since last week but officially everything was signed off this morning."

"I love you, Pepper," Anna said, putting the StarkPad down on the couch next to her and flinging her arms round Pepper's neck. Pepper squeezed her back just as hard.

"I know you do, Honey. I've already spoken to him; he's thrilled." The two women released their grips on one another. "He was on shift when I called but I heard him hand in his notice then and there."

"Seriously?" Anna asked. Pepper nodded in confirmation. She thought back to when she went to the hospital to see if Sam still worked there. She remembered him telling her about the run ins with co-workers and the stress his getting his promotion caused. They'd talked almost every day since she returned to the States, her keeping him updated with the progress of his job at SRF, and he informing her of every new incident between him and someone he works with. Anna bit her lip; she need to make sure he was ok. She jumped up. "I need to call him, like right now."

"Hold on, not so fast," Pepper said, throwing a hand up and pulling Anna back down next to her with the other. "He said he'll be free to take your call in… an hour and forty-five minutes. He was very specific about that, something about laying everyone out?"

"Yeah," Anna said, thinking it over. Many times during their countless conversations, Sam had mentioned with fierce determination that, when the time came, he would quit on the spot and call every single person who'd given him hell out on their bullshit. He had it all planned out, and Anna knew how much it meant to him to be able to do it now. She nodded at Pepper. "I'll wait… he had a pretty big bone to pick with some people."

The clearing of a throat drew the two women's attention away from each other. They both looked over at Tony as he sipped the remainder of his coffee, slouched back in his seat, watching them. "So Sam's good to come to New York?"

"Yes, Tony," Pepper said, rolling her eyes. "He is."

"Again, who's Sam?" Cint was ignored once more.

"He'll be arriving at the beginning of September," Pepper said, bringing the contract back up on the StarkPad before standing and handing it over to Tony to glance at. He nodded at the StarkPad, seemingly happy with what he had read. Pepper continued. "And he's on SRF payroll two weeks after he flies in."

"He got a place to stay?" Tony asked Anna directly.

"I know he said something about apartment hunting when he arrives."

Anna turned to Tony, a frown on her face. It was true – Sam had said something about apartment hunting when he got Stateside… but she had also told Sam that when the time came, she would ask Tony if he could stay with them until he found somewhere suitable. Since he hadn't been cleared to start working yet, she hadn't done so. Now she could. She looked up at Tony, tilting her head slightly to the side in an effort to appear deep in thought. It was a tactic she'd used a number of times before, in a bid to get her own way when she first started living with him. She gave it a few seconds before crinkling her forehead. She could see Pepper smirking slightly at her. The woman knew her play.

"There's no need to look at me like that, Annabelle; you already know I'm gonna let him stay on your floor." Tony said, rolling his eyes and waving her away. He shook his head at Pepper, the woman laughing at the both of them. "I'll need to make renovations though."

"Thank you, Dad. Love you," Anna said, walking over to him, hugging him round the middle when he stood for her and mumbling in to his chest.

"Love you to, Sweetpea."

Tony reached towards Pepper and pulled her in to the hug, wrapping his arms round both of their shoulders. Momentarily, the trio seemed to have forgotten that Clint was still in the room. The archer looked back and forth between the three of them.

"Can someone please tell me who the fuck Sam is?"

* * *

Tony paced his lab, running a hand through his hair every few minutes as JARVIS brought up pages upon pages of engagement ring designs. Tony must have looked at thousands of rings, yet he could not find a single one that he thought would suit Pepper. He'd tried designing his own, but that had gotten him nowhere. He'd been thinking about proposing for months now, he could even argue with himself that he'd wanted to for years, yet he now found himself no closer to being able to do it. Of course, he could do it without giving her a ring, and let her chose her own but it felt wrong.

Tony moved to his desk, rifling through the mountain of rough designs sketched out on scrap pieces of paper before dumping the entire lot in the trash, groaning and slumping forward, head in hands. He couldn't understand why it was so hard. No decision had ever been this hard for him before. Tony made to grab for his abandoned coffee cup, only to find it bone dry. He groaned again, checking his watch. It was barely eight in the morning, but he knew he needed a caffeine hit if he was going to continue his search for the perfect ring.

He glanced up at his computer screen as he pushed away from his desk, catching sight of the picture on the screen before it faded out. It was the photo of him and Anna that had been released to the public, the one that had caused them all the trouble. He loved it. The two of them were carefree, happy… and that's when it hit him to actually ask his daughter for help. Tony shook his head as he left the lab, wondering why he hadn't thought to ask her before.

Once upstairs, Tony scanned the common room, frowning when he couldn't see Anna. It should have occurred to him that she favoured having breakfast on her own floor. It also should have occurred to him that she may not even have been awake yet. Both of these things however, had seemed to slip his mind as he poured himself a fresh coffee.

"Why so down Stark?"

Tony's body did  _not_  betray him and flinch as Natasha appeared over his left shoulder. "Romanov." He nodded stiffly to her as he sipped the scalding contents of his mug, using the action to mask how uncomfortable he left about being sneaked upon. She gave him the faintest hint of a smirk as she passed by, going to the refrigerator to grab a bottle of water. Tony gave her a second to drink before calling for her attention. "You seen my daughter anywhere?"

She regarded him for a moment before shaking her head. "Can't say I have."

Tony turned at the sound of someone moving behind him; he hadn't noticed Steve had arrived with Natasha. He nodded at him. "Rogers?"

Steve, to, shook his head. "Not this morning."

Tony groaned. His mind was so overrun with his failure to find a suitable ring for Pepper that he had forgotten to use the easiest method of finding anyone in the tower. Tony mentally smacked himself when he finally realised he hadn't asked the one person who would know. "JARVIS, where's Anna?"

The faintest hint of amusement could be heard in the AI's voice. Tony resented that. " _She's currently making herself breakfast on her private floor, Sir._ "

Given the time of day, Tony realised now that it was logically the most obvious place she was likely to have been. He refused to let himself dwell on wasted time, just shook his head and gulped down a mouthful of coffee.

"Open up a line, J."

" _Line's open, Sir._ " JARVIS responded almost immediately.

Tony tilted his head towards the ceiling, closing his eyes as he bellowed. "Anna!"

" _Jesus fucking Christ, Tony."_

The unmistakable sounds of a glass shattering in the background caused not only Tony, but Steve to, to wince slightly. A string of curses followed, and Tony looked at Steve, finding him blushing. Tony smirked at him and would have commented but the sounds of a sharp gasp of pain came from the ceiling.

"Anna, are you okay?"

The three of them waited a few seconds as Anna let out another string of curses before answering.

" _Oh yeah, I'm_ great _. Just sliced my hand open on a two-inch shard of glass because my Dad's an asshole._ "

Tony, at least, had the decency to look guilty. "Someone's woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," he muttered to himself, though everyone could hear it.

" _Someone's had too much coffee_ ," Anna responded. Tony ever so slightly resented that. He was only on his third cup… granted the strength  _may_ equal three cups each but hey ho. They all heard the sounds of a tap running and cupboards being thrown open and closed. Anna sighed down the line and Tony could just picture her slumping her shoulders forwards as she spoke." _What do you want?_ "

"I need you in the lab," Tony said, rolling his head even though he knew she couldn't see him. "Like, yesterday."

" _I'm about to eat breakfast._ "

Tony knew Anna wasn't happy about being called down to the lab at this time in the morning. She never had been. Back when they'd lived in the Malibu mansion, Anna had made it clear very quickly that she did not appreciate early morning calls down to lab. She didn't mind going down there to see his latest invention, or going down just to talk about their days, but one thing she wouldn't be doing was being in there at the crack of dawn and spending the entire day confined inside the walls. Despite knowing this, Tony had very little care at this precise moment in time. He was in the middle of a crisis – and only his daughter could help him.

"Bring it with you."

"But," Anna said slowly, in obvious disbelief at his words. " _You don't allow food in the lab, not since –_ "

"I'll make an exception," Tony said quickly, shutting her down before she could reveal the time he'd instructed U and Dum-E to carry a bowl of soup away from his desk – only for the two of them to fight each other for the job, spill the soup over the holographic table and destroy not only that but six months' worth of suit designs. All food had been banned from that point forth. Tony clicked his fingers. "I expect you there in two minutes. Cut it, J."

With that, he turned, refilled his mug and left the room, giving Steve and Natasha a nod each. Both looked at him with confusion, neither of them having any idea why he had summoned Anna to his lab in such an urgent manner, though Tony suspected the spy would have a pretty good idea by the end of the night. She always ended up finding out and Tony had long since come to terms with the fact that, around her, he would never have secrets. He made it to the lab before Anna and set about pulling all the scrap pieces of paper back out of the trash. He had JARVIS pull everything back up on the screens ready for when Anna joined him. He was looking back over everything when she let herself in to the lab, still dressed in pyjamas and carrying a bowl. Tony noticed instantly that she was holding the bowl in her uninjured hand, for the other had a bandage wrapped round the palm. He was up in a second, taking the bowl from her and leading her over to the workbench in the corner which had unofficially become a medical corner. He unwrapped her hand and inspected the cut; it was long, but not deep. "It doesn't need stiches, thankfully."

"Good. Now wrap it back up."

"Yes ma'am." Tony did as he was asked, ensuring the bandage was to the right tightness before releasing her hand and handing her back the bowl. He gave her the once over as she ate. "Nice pyjamas. Do you just have every single Avengers themed ones to ever have been made?"

Anna looked down at her Captain America theme tee and shorts. She rolled her eyes. "All bought on your card. What can do you want that can't wait until I've finished my oatmeal?"

Tony looked between Anna and his computer, before shaking his head and covering his face with his hand, mumbling. "I can't do it."

"Sorry, didn't quite catch that."

Tony groaned and moved his hands away from his mouth. "I said – I can't do it."

Anna frowned at him. "Do what?"

"Propose to Pepper."

Anna froze for a full five seconds before she dropped the bowl on the desk, rounding on Tony. "Why the fuck not?"

"I don't have a ring."

Again, Anna froze. Tony looked up at her when she didn't say anything to him, only to find her glaring at him with narrowed eyes. He tilted his head at her, about to ask her what was wrong before she stopped him by punching his shoulder. Twice.

"Don't do that," she said angrily, punching him for the third time. He winced as she ground her teeth together. "Do  _not_  do that."

"What the - oh," Tony said in sudden realisation that she may have come to the wrong conclusion. You thought -?"

"What else am I supposed to think when you spring that on me ten minutes after I've woken up?" Anna said, her voice raised. She threw her hands in the air and started pacing. "Jeez, Tony."

"Sorry?" Tony said, only half apologetically.

Anna continued her pacing for another minute, muttering under her breath about how one day Tony would cause her to go grey and give her heart issues. Tony let her pace, marvelling once again at how much she was actually like him. He watched the wheels turn in her head and witnessed the precise moment his predicament registered for her. She paused her pacing, straightened and turned to stare directly at him, a look of puzzlement on her face.

"How can you not have a ring yet?" Tony shrugged half-heartedly at her. "You've been looking for weeks."

"I know that," Tony said, standing and running a hand through his hair. He started pacing himself. He gestured to his desk. "I just haven't been able to find one that's, well, Pepper."

He pointed again to his desk, motioning to Anna to actually go over and have a look. He kept glancing at her as she filtered between flicking through the countless papers he'd taken from the trash and the tabs open on the screen. He watched her closely as she kept swiping through, her nose scrunching in disgust and her eyes widening in delight at others, but in the end, not a single one of the ones she'd actually looked did she comment could be the one. He took that as a bad sign.

Groaning, Tony came over to join her, slumping heavily down in his chair. "The ones I've seen are either too simple or too flashy and she's a perfect balance in between."

"So," Anna said slowly, shifting a few things around on his desk to make space for her to sit down. "Why don't you design one yourself?"

"I've tried," Tony whined, gesturing once more to the designs on the scrap pieces of paper. "I just… come up empty."

"You?" Anna said in utter disbelief, her mouth falling open.

"I don't get it," Tony exploded, jumping up so suddenly the chair flew away from him. He resumed his pacing. "I can create suit after suit, kit the team out in all manner of new tech, create any and everything, yet when it comes to an engagement ring for the woman I love?"

He stopped abruptly, staring at Anna. She had a look he knew all too well on her face. He'd been told time and time again by those closest to him that they all knew when he had an idea he was so determined with that he got a look on his face and that there would be no arguing with him when he did. He understood what they meant now, because Anna had the exact same look fixed on her features right now. He narrowed his eyes at her. "I know that face. That's your 'I have an idea' face."

Anna jumped slightly, as though she had forgotten where she was and who she was with. She shook her head in denial. "I'm not making a face!"

"You are, you get it from me." Tony almost smiled, proud that he'd passed yet another of his traits on to his daughter. Instead thought, he rolled his eyes. "Spill."

"I might know someone who could help," Anna said slowly, biting her lip. Tony's eyes widened. He was about to question her further, wanting to know who but she held a hand up at him, apparently anticipating what he was going to do. She tilted her head in thought. "Give me… I don't know… a day or two to figure it out?"

Tony thought about it, but ultimately decided he had no other option. "I don't have a choice either way."

"No, you don't," Anna said, standing directly in front of Tony and placing her hands on both of his shoulders, looking serious but her eyes were smiling at him. "I'm taking this over, Dad."

Tony deflated in relief, tension releasing from every pore, as he slumped in to Anna's embrace.

"Thank fuck for that."

* * *

Anna wouldn't tell Tony about her idea, purely because she knew he'd put his foot down and say no before she'd even finished pitching the idea. Even though his relationship with Steve had improved slightly since they'd spoken the night she introduced herself to them, things were still very sensitive between the two men. While she and Steve got on fine, and Tony argued nowhere near as much as they used to, Anna knew not to push it was something as important as this. Tony may follow Steve's lead on missions, but he didn't like the man being privy to the goings on in his personal life. Anna cared about how Tony felt, she did, but she also knew that, given how much research Tony had put in and still come up empty, she needed someone who knew Pepper but at the same time didn't know her all that well. She also needed someone who could draw.

Anna went back up to her floor to shower and change, making sure to replace her bandage once it got wet. She grabbed a hoodie, one with extra long sleeves that ended up resembling 'sweater paws'. The tower wasn't cold, but she liked the comfort. After asking JARVIS where Steve currently was, she proceeded to head down to the gym where she was happy to find him finishing his training regime on the bags completely alone. She waited patiently, watching him throw each punch, the muscles in his back flexing beneath the shirt he wore. When he finally stepped back, she grabbed his towel, bring it over to him. When he turned to face her, he didn't seem at all surprised to find her standing there – perhaps he had heard her come in but chose not to let it distract him. She held out the towel for him.

"Hey, Steve."

"Annabelle," he greeted, taking the towel and wiping his face, then his neck. "Thanks."

Anna tilted her head at him. "You know you can call me Anna, right?"

"I know, but I like Annabelle," he said, smiling at her before he suddenly frowned, unsure of himself. "Would you rather I call you Anna?"

"Whichever is fine, I don't mind," Anna shrugged. It had never mattered to her before if someone called her Anna or Annabelle – as long as it wasn't Annie or Annabella. A teacher in elementary school had called her Annabella for three years straight until her mom had come in and had a word her him. He then called her Annie for the next year until she left. She shuddered at the memory. "But my name is not what I wanted to talk to you about."

"I guessed," Steve said, walking over to one of the benches and taking a long drink from the water bottle he had there. He gestured for her to take a seat next to him. "What can I do for you?"

Anna bit her lip and considered his question for a minute. On the one hand, Tony would skin her alive if he knew she was asking Steve for help on his behalf but on the other, she didn't feel they had another choice given the amount of effort Tony had already put in to his search. She shook her head. She told Tony she was taking over, and this is what she was choosing to do. She just hoped he wouldn't moan and throw a strop when she found out… and it was a very really possibility that he would. "How well do you know Pepper?"

"Quite well, I think. I don't see her much, but I can hold a conversation with her," Steve said slowly, taking a moment to think it over. "Why do you ask?"

Anna jumped up and stood directly in front of Steve, glancing over her shoulder to ensure they were still alone. She really hoped Clint wasn't in the vents and Natasha wasn't hidden in the shadows. Once she was as sure as she could be that they were alone, she lowered her voice. "You can't tell anyone, or Tony will kill you."

"Okay…" Steve said slowly.

"And me. He will kill me."

"Okay, Annabelle," Steve laughed out, though he gave her a serious look after. "You have my word."

Anna nodded, that was as good as it gets. She lowered her voice further. "He's gonna propose to her, to Pepper."

Steve stared at her for a few seconds and she was honestly worried that for some unknown reason he didn't approve, not that any of their interactions before today had given her that idea. The more time that passed without him speaking, the more Anna started to worry that she'd made a mistake in thinking that he could help her. Suddenly, Steve let out a bark of laughter, startling her. "About damn time."

Anna's eyes widened and she smirked at him. "Language."

"Funny." Steve rolled his eyes at her. "I'm happy for the both of them."

"Me to," she said, moving back to sit next to him on the bench. She sighed. "He's been looking for a ring for weeks but had no luck."

Steve frowned for a moment before looking at her. "Why doesn't he design something himself?"

"That's what I said!" Anna blurted out, throwing her hands in the air before dropping them down in to her lap. She groaned and shook her head. "He's tried, but he can't come up with something he likes, something that will suit her."

Steve raised an eyebrow. "Tony? The guy who designs things for a living can't design an engagement ring for the woman he plans to propose to?" Anna shook her head. Steve blew out a breath. "That's… hard to believe."

"Well you better believe it," Anna said, shifting to sit cross-legged on the bench and leaning on the wall behind them. "I've seen the evidence, and I'm pretty sure he pulled the sketches out of the trash this morning after he summoned me to the lab. This is where you come in."

Steve looked at her, confused. "I do?"

"You do," Anna said, grinning at him. "Can you see if you can come up with something? Even if it's a basic design I can work with it. I looked at everything he did and nothing jumped out at me. I'm hoping someone else's perspective, someone who knows Pepper, might help somewhat."

Steve nodded, understanding where she was coming from. "When would you need it by?"

"As soon as possible," Anna declared. She twisted her body to face Steve, her eyes wide in anticipation. "You'll do it?"

"I can certainly try." Steve nodded at her.

Anna couldn't help it. She jumped to her knees and threw her arms round his neck, hugging him close. She was so happy that he'd agreed to help… she also knew the likelihood of him saying no to her was small; Steve rarely said no to anyone. She did feel fractionally bad for exploiting that trait of his, but she would make it up to him another time. Right now, she was too focused on thanking the man. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Steve seemed to freeze in shock, but relaxed after a couple of seconds, hugging her back.

"Anytime."

* * *

It had only been twenty-four hours since Anna asked Steve to help her, but every time she saw the man, he had his sketchbook in hand. She'd caught him briefly that morning before she left for work, flicking back and forth between a few pages before finally settling on one. She hoped he wasn't putting off doing anything in aiding her. She hated to think that there was more important things he could be doing other than helping her find an engagement ring of Pepper. She hadn't seen him since getting home though and when she'd asked JARVIS, the AI had told her he was on his floor.

She was currently on the communal floor with everyone but Steve. Clint had arrived from wherever it was he spent his free time shortly before she'd gotten home and was silently conversing with Nat in the corner while Bruce and Tony were discussing the possibility of creating indestructible clothes for when the big guy comes out to play. Anna was happy to curl up on one of the couches and close her eyes. It had been a tough afternoon at the community centre; a fight had broken out between three of the teenagers and the cops had had to be called. She'd tried her hardest to stop it escalating but, at the end of the day, she couldn't stop the three of them being arrested. She knew Tony could sense something was wrong because, while still in discussion with Bruce, he moved to sit next to her, putting her head in his lap and running his fingers through her hair. She must have drifted off, because the sound of someone clapping their hands together jolted her awake.

"Whose turn is it to cook?"

Anna groaned and sat up, trying to working out the crick in her neck from where she'd laid awkwardly. She caught Tony glaring at Clint.

"Yours, birdbrain."

"No, I did two days ago," Clint said, shaking his head furiously. "It can't be my go again. Peppers?"

Anna and Tony shared a look. Anna shook her head at Clint. "She's out of town," She said, stretching. "Conference in California."

"Again?" Clint said in disbelief.

"Bane of being the CEO," Tony said, rolling his hand. He wrapped a blanket from the back of the couch round Anna's shoulders. She thanked him. Tony turned to raise an eyebrow at Clint. "She's been gone for nearly two weeks, how have you not noticed?"

"Haven't been in the tower much," Clint said, shrugging.

Anna was about to agree that he had a fair point when she remembered something. "You were here the day she left."

Clint shrugged again before turning to Natasha. "Nat?"

"No." Natasha glared at him. Clint raised his hands in surrender.

"Anna," Clint said, drawing her name out. "Would you like to cook?"

Anna groaned. She knew it was coming. Aside from Steve and Pepper, she was the only other person who could throw together a decent meal. Tony could cook certain things, pancake being one of them and Bruce was able to throw together the simplest of pasta dishes. Anna was sure Natasha could cook, given her immense skill set and the number of undercover roles she'd had to take on in the past, she found it hard to believe she hadn't learnt at some point. Clint tried, bless him, but cooking was not his strong suit. She sighed. "Not particularly, but if no one else will…"

"She's not cooking for everyone  _again_ ," Tony said sharply, glaring at Clint. It was true, she'd cooked more than her fair share over the past week.

"Dad, it's -" she tried, only to be cut off by him.

"No, you cooked last night, and twice this week already," he said, shaking his head at her. "You're not doing it again because no one can keep to their end of the deal. And technically, it's my night tonight, which means -"

"Take-out," everyone answered for him.

"Exactly. How's everyone for Thai?"

Tony instructed JARVIS to take everyone's order and to take Steve's as well. He did and informed them that their food would arrive in approximately forty-five minutes. Anna leaned back against the couch, feet in Tony's lap this time. Her head was resting on a cushion and the blanket that had been round her shoulders was draped over her. Tony told her to take a nap, offering to wake her when the food got there but she refused. She knew that, if she fell asleep now, she wouldn't be waking up again until tomorrow. Instead, she spent the time waiting everyone else. Clint and Nat was back to conversing with each other, though every now and again they switched out to Russian and back. Tony was now messing round with his phone while Bruce had pulled a booked out from somewhere and was deep within. The ding of the elevator ceased everyone's individual actions, with Clint and Tony going over the collect the food (which had been put in the elevator by whoever had taking it in down in the lobby. They all moved to dish themselves up their chosen dishes until only Steve's was left.

"J, tell Spangles foods here." Anna hit Tony lightly on the arm.

" _Captain Rogers is on his way up._ "

Tony decided they should all watch a movie and while he and Clint debated on what they should watch, Anna made herself comfy on the couch once more. Less than two minutes later, the elevator dinged again, signalling Steve's arrival. He went straight to the bar to dish his food up but opted to sit and eat right there rather than join them. She watched him and Clint talk, though she couldn't hear what was being said, before the archer came to join the rest of them, standing as he rearranged everything on the side table where he would be sitting for easy access. She wanted to ask, but Bruce beat her to it.

"Steve not joining us?"

Clint shook his head as he plumped up one of the cushions. "Said he will do when he's finished eating. He's got a sketchpad with him though; think he's working on something while he eats."

Again, Anna felt bad. If he was actually working on a ring design, then he seemed to be putting a hell of a lot of effort in to it.

"Sit down, Legolas." Tony's voice pulled her from her thoughts.

"Shut it, Stark."

"Boys," she said, rolling her eyes and sharing a look with Nat. The woman winked at her.

"Brucie-bear," Tony called to Bruce, putting on a faux English accent. "Be a dear and pass me that pillow, not that one the other – yeah, that. Thanks."

Once they were all settled, Tony selected a random movie and the lights automatically dimmed. Anna paid little attention to the film she had no idea what it was but seeing as it was Tony that chose, it was no doubt something that heavily featured elements of the action genre – it normally was. The five of them slowly finished eating, each of them piling their plates on the coffee table for someone to clean up later. While everyone else was focused on the movie, Anna sneaked a peak over at Steve. She wasn't surprised to see his own small pile of dishes neatly stacked beside him, but she was surprised to find him still sketching away, his pencil moving back and forth in quick motions.

A loud bang from the TV drew Anna's focus away from the super solider and back to the screen. She wasn't particularly interested in keeping along with the plot-line but she enjoyed the company. She curled up underneath her blanket, trying to get comfortable when Tony tossed one of his pillows to her. She smiled in thanks, leaning forward to put it behind her. Another ten minutes passed before Anna sensed a presence coming up behind her. She looked round and found Steve making his way over, slumping down in the empty space beside her. No one paid him any attention and he slipped his sketchbook in to her lap.

"Here," he murmured so no one would hear.

Anna nodded in thanks and opened it, flicking through until she found multiple pages all full of ring designs. Some were unfinished and some had fine details. Some pages held more than one design, all basically drawn while there were only three or four pages that held just one design. Every single one of them was beautiful.

"Wow, that's – hold on," Anna stopped short. The ring he'd drawn on the last page didn't look like anything she or Tony had looked at, but she was so sure she'd seen something very similar before. It had the most detail filled in and was the only one to have annotations down the side of the page signifying the metal used, the carat and the colour. It took her a few minutes of looking the sketch over and over before her eyes widened and she gasped. "I've got it!" she shouted.

Everyone was now looking at her, but she paid them no mind, she was too busy trying to unwrap the blanket from her legs. "Dad! Get up, come with me." She jumped up, kissing Steve quickly on the cheek and grabbing Tony by the hand, pulling him along with her. As they reached the stairs that would take them to the lab, she looked over her shoulder. "Thanks Steve!"

"What the – Anna, slow down." Tony panted as she all but threw him in the lab, turning to find her pulling the door closed behind them. "What's going on."

"Lock it down, J." JARIVS did as he was instructed. There was the unmistakable sound of the door locking and the glass windows frosted over. Once JARVIS affirmed they had complete privacy, Anna handed Tony Steve's sketchbook, still open on the last page. "Look at this."

Tony took it, looking it over. "It's a ring."

"Nothing can get past you, can it?" Anna said, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.

Tony smirked at her. "This for Pepper?"

"Yes." She nodded.

"You had Steve design it?"

He gave her a look she couldn't decipher, and his tone held no emotion. Anna honestly couldn't tell what he was feeling, whether he was upset or angry, or even just surprised that going to Steve had been her big idea from the day before. She would understand if he wasn't happy, but she would rather he not be. She bit her lip.

"I asked him to design something he thought Pepper would like," she said slowly. She tried to catches Tony's eye, but he wasn't looking at her, his gaze still focused on the sketch. "But this isn't the ring."

Tony looked up at her now, confused. "I don't get it."

She grinned at him, tapping the page. "It reminds me of Maria's ring."

Tony stared back down at the page, but she could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't seeing what she was. "Huh."

"You showed it to me, remember?" Anna said. "Years ago when you told me about your family, showed me things that belonged to your parents and their parents and whatnot." He'd done this a couple of months after she had come to live with him and Pepper. She had finally started to settle in, making their home hers while being home-schooled by a tutor for her senior year. She'd had a genetics project of some kind and upon asking Tony for his help, they'd ended up pouring through almost everything Tony's parents had left to him when they'd died. They'd spent hours going through the most random things before Tony had pulled out a small collection of personal items; his dad's watch that had belonged to his dad before him and his mom's wedding and engagement rings. "Do you remember telling me about your moms will?"

Tony sighed. "She wanted me to have her engagement ring in the hopes that I would use it to propose to the woman I planned to spend the rest of my life with," he recited.

"Exactly," Anna said with a grin, snapping her fingers at him. She poked a finger in to his chest. "Do you plan on spending the rest of your life with one, Virginia Potts?"

Tony nodded. "I do."

Anna smiled softly at him. "Then it's time to get the ring out of storage."

"Anna…" Tony trailed off with a sigh.

"What's stopping you, Dad?" Anna asked, placing her hands on his shoulders. "You're happy with Pepper, you love her – why can't you give her that ring?"

"Because," Tony sighed, sitting on the edge of his desk, pulling down with him in a one-armed hug. "I'm pretty sure my mom intended for me to give that ring to Gabbie."

"Dad…" Anna understood his dilemma now, and she could only imagine how he must be feeling.

"Her will was updated less than three months before she died, around the time I told her I could see myself marrying your mom," his voice was low and quiet. "I feel like I'd be betraying both of them by giving it to Pepper."

"Dad, listen, okay?" Anna said, shrugging out of his hold and standing in front of him. She really did get where he was coming from, but Pepper was the love of his life. She deserved this. "Trust me when I say my mom would be happy for you. She'd see that you were marrying the woman you love, just like she married the man she did." Tony opened his mouth to say something, but she shushed him. "I didn't get the chance to know Maria, but I know from you that she loved you, and that she'd want for you to be happy, no matter who you were marrying. Neither of them would resent you for giving Pepper that ring. I think they'd both want you to."

"This is a really big thing, Anna," he said, pushing away from the desk. He rounded on her. "Shouldn't I at least pass it on to you, let your future husband give it to you?"

"Who said I'd ever get married?" she scoffed. Marriage was not something she wanted to entertain at this point in her life. "And besides, one; you'd ward off any potential suitors until he'd had a full background check and thorough interrogation. Two; I actually have to have a boyfriend before marriage is even thought about, and I am not currently in a relationship."

Tony thought about it for a moment before nodding. "True."

"I don't see that happening anytime soon. The ring's going spare," Anna declared. She stepped closer to Tony, wrapping her arms round his middle. He returned the embrace, holding her tight against his chest. When she spoke again, her voice was muffled by the fabric of his shirt. "This is the right thing to do, Tony. She deserves it. It'll be like showing her that she got your moms seal of approval."

Tony snorted. "My mom would have approved of her the day she stood up and pointed out the error in my calculations. No one dared to, but she did." He was quiet for a moment, and Anna knew she was lost in thought, thinking about the woman he'd lost all those years ago. He rested his chin on the top of her head. "My mom would have liked that."

"There you go then!" Anna pushed away from him, breaking free of his hold. She clapped her hands together. "Where is it?"

"Hold on," Tony said. She watched him disappear down one of the far corners of the lab. She knew the lab had a few secret rooms, hideaways where he kept things he wanted kept safe. It didn't surprise her that the ring had been in the lab the entire time, or that Tony had never considered it himself. He was gone just under two minutes, carrying back with him a small, red velvet box. He held it out to her. "Here."

She took it, opening the box and admiring the ring rest on the cushion inside. One tear drop diamond in the centre surrounded by tiny sapphires. It was in no way flashy, but it certainly wasn't simple. It was both elegant but a statement piece. Looking at it now, Anna realised just how perfect it would be for Pepper. It would complement the woman beautifully.

"It's truly beautiful, like -"

Tony was smiling at her. "Pepper."

Anna closed the lid of the box and held it out for Tony to take back. She dropped it in to his open palm, before pulling his other hand over to cover it, placing her hand on top. "You know it's the right thing to do."

Tony nodded but groaned at the same time. "I hate it when you're right."

"I know," Anna said, grinning. She pulled Tony in to a tight hug, them holding each other for a minute before she stepped back. She shooed him away, telling him to out the ring back where it came from until it was needed. Once he was back, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Now that's sorted, let's go upstairs and finish the movie. J, open it up for us."

"Lead the way," Tony said, bowing her out the door, which had been unlocked for them, the glass windows slowly becoming clear once again. She hadn't even cleared the door when he suddenly stood straight, eyes wide. He threw an arm out, stopping her from moving. "Wait, wait, wait."

Anna sighed and threw her head back but refused to look at him. "Yes, father?"

Tony pulled her round to face him, both hands gripping her shoulders. "How should I do it?"

Anna stared at him now, mouth open, dumfounded. "You don't even know how you're gonna do it?" she asked him in complete disbelief.

Tony rolled his eyes, as if it was completely obvious. "I wanted to get the ring sorted before I made arrangements," he stated, brushing her off. "Now I've done that, I can work on the actual proposing."

Anna narrowed her eyes at him when she recognised the expectant look in his eyes. She shook her head, walking about from him. "Don't look at me, I've done my part."

"Spoil sport," she heard him grumble behind her as he followed her back to the living area.

When they got back to the others, Anna notice no one had bothered to pause the movie for them, not that she minded – she hadn't been particularly interested in it in the first place. She took her claimed place back on the couch, plumping her pillows before covering herself with the discarded blanket once more. It wasn't until Tony finally sat down that Clint paused the movie, giving both of them a pointed look.

"Welcome back." Anna and Tony both nodded to him. He narrowed his eyes at each of them in turn. "What the hell was that about?"

"Nothing, Birdbrain," Tony said, using his phone to control the Tv, unpausing the movie.

"Must have been something – Steve's been blushing ever since Anna kissed his cheek – OW!"

"Ignore him," Natasha said, jabbing Clint in the side.

Clint hissed in pain as Natasha's elbow connected sharply with his ribs. The air around them seemed to thicken with tension. Anna racked her brain – had she kissed Steve on the cheek? She couldn't quite remember, having been too excited about the possibility of finally finding the perfect engagement ring for Pepper. She glanced at Steve only to find that he did indeed have the faint remnants of a blush along his cheeks and down his neck. It was enough to remind her that she had, in fact, given him a quick peck in her excitement. She gave him an apologetic smile, knowing the hell he'd probably get from Tony now thanks to Clint's big mouth, but he waved her off, dismissing it with slight smile of his own. Bruce remained indifferent, choosing to sit out of it while Tony shot glares between Steve and Clint. He turned and raised an eyebrow expectantly at Anna.

"You kissed Spangles?" Tony asked lowly.

Anna rolled her eyes, hoping Tony wouldn't overreact. "On the cheek, as a thank you." She sighed, waving her hand at him and pointed at the still playing movie. "Get over it and finish watching the film – we've already missed half of it."

The six of the lapsed back in to silence, though Tony kept shooting Steve the occasional stare until Anna tossed a pillow in his face. The movie was winding down, not as much action being played and the soft mutterings of opinions about it from the others started to lull Anna to sleep. She curled further in to the couch, slipping down until she was almost completely laid flat, only being propped up by the pillows behind her. It wasn't unusual for her to fall asleep when they watched a movie together, seeing as it normally ran far past the time she normally found herself going to bed. Tony would more often than not wake her when it was over; sometimes he'd throw a second blanket over her and shoo everyone out and leave her to sleep. She was just flittering in to a state of unconsciousness when the sound of Tony's voice jolted her awake.

"I've got it, Anna!" he reached over and shook her until she sat up, glaring at him. He was beaming at her, pleased with himself. "I'm going to throw a party."

It took a moment for her brain to catch up, but she rolled her eyed and groaned when she realised he was talking about his plan to propose to Pepper. She considered it for a second before coming to the conclusion that it would be a terrible idea. Pepper would hate it. She shook her head. "No you're not."

Tony pouted. "Why can't I? Everyone can be here, and I'll have J cut the music, pull Pep in to the middle of the floor." To some people it would appear as though he'd given it a fair bit of thought, but Anna knew her father. It will have taken him all of five seconds to come with the idea before he blurted it out, believing it was the right thing to do. Anna shook her head at him again and it was Tony's turn to roll his eyes this time. He tilted his head to the ceiling, a smug look on his face. "You'd help a guy out, wouldn't you J?"

There was a brief moment of silence before JARVIS answered. " _I'm believe that would be against my better judgement, Sir._ "

Anna laughed at the look of betrayal on Tony's face. "Thank you, Jarvis," she said. She pulled her legs under her, yawning. "Dad, that is a terrible idea. Pepper would hate all the attention being on her." She gave Tony a pointed look. "She'd most likely tell you no just for that."

"Okay," Clint said, pointing between Tony and Anna. "What the hell are you guys talking about?"

"Tony's being stupid and not thinking before he speaks," Anna stated at the same time Tony said, "I want to throw Pepper a party and ask her to marry me in the middle of it."

The response was instantaneous from Nat, Bruce and Clint.

"No."

"Absolutely not."

"Are you insane?"

"Wow," Tony said, taken aback. Anna heard the faintest hint of hurt in his voice. "You all think me asking Pepper to marry is a terrible idea. Thanks guys."

"Tony, we've all been waiting for you to propose to Pepper, but," Steve said, giving Tony a small smile, shaking his head. "The fact that you want to throw a party to do it is idiotic."

"What Cap said."

Anna could see the wheels turning in Tony's head. He'd outed his plans to propose to Pepper which, at first, appeared to garner a negative response. Regardless of the fact that it was to his idea of  _how_  to do it, she knew Tony would retreat into himself a little, he'd take offence by the way he was being shot down. These people may be his team, but they hadn't spent years and years building the kind of friendship that Tony needed right now. He needed a talking to by someone that would get through to him without causing accidental offence and though it was late, she knew the one person she needed to speak to Tony right now would still be awake.

"JARVIS?" she called, drawing attention to herself. She looked directly at Tony.

" _Yes, Miss Cooper?_ "

She smirked at Tony. He narrowed his eyes at her. "Call Uncle Rhodey."

Tony gasped, placing a hand against his chest. "My own daughter. The  _betrayal._ "

It was clear to Anna that the others didn't quite understand the significance of involved Rhodey, and she didn't particularly want to have to explain the depth of over two decades' worth of friendship.

The line clicked open. " _Hello?_ "

Anna smiled. "Hey, Rhodey."

" _Anna! I haven't spoken to you in ages._ " Rhodey sounded genuinely happy to be hearing from her, even at the late hour. " _How you doing being stuck with your old man?_ " There was no malice in his voice, only affection.

Tony scowled. "That old man is listening in, honey bear."

" _Of course he is._ "Anna could sense the eye-roll. " _You're calling late. Everything okay_?" His concern was genuine, it always was what it came to her, Tony and Pepper.

"Could you help me out with Tony, before I have to call in damage control?"

Rhodey laughed down the line. No one else got it. It was an ongoing joke between the two of them, starting way back when she first started living with Tony. Every time he'd come up with an idea that could lead to repercussions, they'd joke about having to bring in damage control – otherwise known as Pepper. Pepper knew they did this and had warned the both of them to only call her if it was an actual emergency. She wouldn't actually go as far as calling Pepper to deal with Tony's overactive imagination – it would defeat the purpose… given that the whole thing was supposed to be a surprise for her. So far they'd only had to do it once, and it was a time no one liked to be reminded of; Anna's ears had rung for weeks in the aftermath of the argument.

" _What do you need me to do with him, Hon?_ "

"Smack some sense in to him," Anna said, throwing Tony an innocent smile. He pursed his lips at her.

" _Please elaborate._ "

Anna closed her eyes and tilted her head back against the couch. "He thinks throwing a party for Pepper and proposing to her in the middle of it and in front of everyone is a good idea."

There was a beat of silence. " _You are an idiot._ "

"That's not fair," Tony said, glaring at no one.

" _You finally decided to do it then?_ " Rhodey asked.

"Maybe," Tony said, drawing the word out.

Rhodey was silent for a second again. " _Dibs on being the best man._ "

"Of course." As if there would be any doubt about that. As Tony's longest serving friend, there was no competition over who would be standing next to him at the end of the alter whenever he finally became an adult and got married. It was a long ago made agreement, one they that both promised to never to back out of or break.

" _Anna, honey,_ " Rhodey's voice drew her from her musings. " _I have to go but I'll be sure to smack some sense in to him when I'm next in New York._ "

Anna grinned. "Thank you, Uncle Rhodey."

" _Oh and Tony?_ " Rhodey called.

"Yes, Platypus?" Tony sighed to the ceiling.

" _Do it in private; candlelit dinner, orchids all over the place, her favourite music playing softly in the background._ " Every single one of them listen intently to what Rhodey was saying, all interested to hear the advice he was giving Tony. " _Get down on one knee and tell how much she means to you, how much she's done for you, how much you love her. Speak from the heart and don't, for the love of God, mess this up._ "

Tony had a soft smile on his face, one he reserved for only her, Rhodey and Pepper. Anna knew she'd made the right decision in calling Rhodey, knew that Tony needed to hear from him, to be put in his place so he didn't do something stupid. "Thank you, Rhodey."

" _Night, Starks._ "

The line went dead, and no one spoke. Everyone was looking at Tony, who Anna could tell was seriously considering Rhodey's words. Rhodey always told him as he saw it, something which Tony needed more often than he cared to admit. Plus, Anna really hadn't heard from the man for ages and it was good to hear his voice. She needed to remember to call him again soon, to have a general chat. Anna looked up and saw Tony now looking at her. She gave him a lopsided smile.

"You heard the man."

"Who knew he could be such a romantic," Tony said, feigning wiping a tear from his eye, though Anna could see he was deeply moved.

"Still want to throw a party?" Anna asked him.

"Not one of my best ideas." There was a collective murmur of agreement.

"When's she due back?" Bruce asked, breaking his long-held silence.

"In two days."

"Seems like a good a time as any, don't you think."

Tony looked and glanced at Steve as the man spoke and Anna counted to ten. She knew the panic would start to set in after that, when Tony realised that he had no more excuses for putting it off. Two days was enough time to plan something simple if he were to go along with Rhodey's idea, but Anna knew she had to factor in a brief moment for him to panic. She saw the moment it hit Tony that his want to propose was now very real and saw the fear in his eyes, though she was sure she was the only one who could actually see it. He hid it better from the others. He locked eyes with Anna.

"Help me?" Tony pleaded.

Anna broke his gaze for a moment, looking at the others. She didn't even have to ask. The group shared a collective glance between the man and each other, all nodding to Anna. She smiled at each of them before moving over to cuddle in to Tony's side, as he wrapped his arm round her shoulder.

"We all will."

* * *

The elevator dinging as it stopped on the private penthouse apartment belonging to Tony and Pepper. Pepper exited, pulling her suitcase behind her. She left that and her coat by the couch, depositing the StarkPad in her hand on the coffee table. She listened closely for any of the tell-tale signs of Tony being on their floor. She had called him as soon as the jet had landed to let him know she was on her way back from the airport and he had promised her would be waiting in their living room to welcome her home. She rolled her eyes, frustrated.

"Tony, I'm home," she called, walking towards their bar to pour herself a glass. No answer "Tony?"

" _Welcome home, Miss Potts._ " JARVIS was the one to respond to her and, to be perfectly honest, she wasn't at all surprised. She kicked off her heels, leaving them at the base of a bar stool before walking to the bedroom as she waited patiently for the AI to continue." _Mr Stark is currently unavailable at the present time, but he has asked me to notify you that he has prepared a special surprise for you later this evening._ "

This had Pepper raising an eyebrow to the ceiling, her frustration melting slightly. "Has he now?"

" _Indeed he has._ " JARVIS said, and she could almost detect an undercurrent of amusement in his tone. " _He has left instructions for you on the bed._ "

"Thank you, JARVIS."

Pepper moved over towards the bed, now spotting the folding sheet of paper laid on the comforter, along with a single red rose. She smiled at the sight, lifting the rose and inhaling the scent. She loved the smell of flowers. She placed the rose back down, picking up the note and sitting on the edge of the bed. She opened it and instantly spotted the script Tony usually only reserved for important documents.

_Pep,_

_First, I'm sorry I'm not free to welcome you home, but something came up. I promise I will make it up to you._

_Relax, take a bubble bath and pamper yourself. Anna will be there at six to help you get ready._

_I've prepared a little something, just for the two of us. There's a few gifts for you in the closet to wear tonight, but don't open them till Anna gets there._

_Be ready by eight. JARVIS will instruct you from there._

_I can't wait to see you tonight._

_I love you, Miss Potts._

_Tony x_

Pepper reread the note three, four more times. She could not for the life of her decipher the note and figure out his plan. She usually always had a good inclination or anything he had planned – he was usually so predictable. Not this time. Pepper shook her head, giving a small smile down at the note.

"Oh, Tony, what are you up to?"

She decided to follow his instructions. Making her way to the en-suite, Pepper unzipped her dress, letting it fall away into a puddle on the floor as she walked away. She picked up her wine glass from where she'd left it on the dresser and entered the bathroom. She ran herself a bath, pouring a few different products, mixing scents and creating the perfect amount of bubbles, them eventually pouring over the side before the water had even reached level. She found a face mask she'd been meaning to use for months in her vanity and applied it, before stripping out of her underwear and stepping in to the bath and leaning back with closed eyes. It was heavenly. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been able to just lay back and  _relax_. The conference she'd been to had been completely and utterly draining, almost a waste of her time. Half the people hadn't been genuine, just wanting the chance to say that they'd met the CEO of Stark Industries and the girlfriend of Stark himself. It was exhausting. Even years later people still didn't believe she should be running a multibillion-dollar company.

Pepper spent more than an hour relaxing in the bath, mask washed off after the allotted time and the skin of her fingers and toes shrivelled and wrinkled like prunes. It was glorious. She washed her hair under the spray of the shower, letting the warm water wash away the remainder of bubbles on her skin. She asked JARVIS for the time, him telling her it was almost six. She grabbed her robe and started towel drying her hair before she made her way back through to the bedroom, picking up her discarded clothes to add to the hamper as she went.

It was six on the dot when Anna poked her head round the open bedroom door to find Pepper sitting cross-legged on the bed, her hair wrapped in a turban with the towel.

"Knock knock."

"Anna," Pepper said, looking up. "You're right on time."

"Hey, Pepper."

Anna gave her a small wave but frowned when she saw Pepper's eyes widen and the woman jump off the bed, concern written all over her face.

"Anna, what on Earth happened to your hand?"

"What?" Anna said looking down at her hand, only to realise she'd waved with her injured one. She rolled her eyes. "Dad happened. Don't worry, he didn't  _actually_  do it, he just surprised me while I was holding a glass. I'll tell you about it properly another time, right now," she said, steering Pepper over to her vanity and sitting her down on the stool facing the mirror. "We have to get you ready for tonight."

"Fine," Pepper said. "But this conversation is not over."

Anna nodded at Pepper's pointed look in her reflection. "Noted."

Pepper sighed, removing the towel form her head and finger brushing her hair. "What is he up to?"

"My lips are sealed;" Anna said, pulling her hand across her mouth, mimicking pulling a zip closed and throwing the key away. "I've been sworn to secrecy."

Pepper pouted but fixed her features after a second. She locked eyes with Anna through the mirror. "You can't even give me a hint?"

"No," Anna said firmly, though her eyes were pleading. "So please don't try."

"Fine," Pepper said. Anna was grinning at her. Everyone knew Pepper liked control and hated being left out of any form of planning. She leaned her head back in to Anna, tilting it up to stare at the girl. "Am I at least allowed to open my gifts now?"

Anna's eyes brightened. "Of course" Where are they?"

"Closet," Pepper said, pointing behind her. Anna left her sitting on the stool, Pepper turning to watch her as she slid open the closet doors and peaked inside. After a few seconds, Anna stepped back, pulling a dress and two bags out with her. Pepper sat, stunned as Anna brought them over to her. The dress was a shimmering pale blue, almost silver. It wasn't fitted, but she knew by running her fingers across the material that it would hug her figure in all the right places. It came with a matching shawl, and Pepper guessed that they may be spending some of the night outside. Anna kept hold of the dress, watching her closely as her eyes showed her appreciation. Anna held the two bags out to her, waiting for her to take one and when she did, the woman placed the second, larger bag at her feet. The smaller bag held multiple jewellery boxes, three to be exact. Inside were a matching set of earrings, a necklace and a bracelet, each a simple silver rope with a single teardrop diamond. She placed the boxes on her vanity and reached for the second bag, finding a shoebox, inside a pair of simple, strappy silver stilettoes, the kind she loved to wear. There was also a two-piece set of underwear in the bag, but she didn't bother in pulling that out. Everything Tony had picked for her was perfect, exactly what she would choose for herself. She was in awe and incredibly impressed.

"Oh my – it's all so beautiful."

"He said he wanted it to match your eyes," Anna said quietly. "The shoes match the necklace and earrings and with them being simply designed, they won't take away from the dress. He said he doesn't want you to feel like a princess – that's too cliched, but he wants you to feel like everyone in the room would be staring at you, and only you. That you were – are – the most important person there tonight"

Both women had tears in their eyes as Anna spoke. She walked over to the bed, Pepper watching her go, and laid the dress gently down. She came back and gestured for Pepper to turn back around and face the mirror, reaching over to grab the hairbrush and start working it through Pepper's damp hair.

"You'll have to do your own make-up," Anna said quietly, and Pepper closed her eyes at the sensation of her hair being handled by someone other than herself. She could almost sense Anna's grimace. "I can't even apply eye-liner without it going everywhere."

Pepper laughed, remembering the frustrated rants every time Anna attempted to wear any form of make-up other than cherry flavoured chapstick. She opened her eyes and grinned at Anna. "And that is a proven fact."

Anna rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue before smiling back. "But I'll do you hair."

Pepper nodded. "Deal."

As Anna pulled the blow dryer out of one of the drawers, Pepper reflected on her and Tony's relationship. They'd had their ups and downs, certainly had their moments. Had times where it seemed like there was no going forward but Pepper had always known in her heart that they were supposed to be together. They were in tune, knew what the other was thinking. She knew that sometimes Tony seemed as though he had no idea but deep down she knew that he did. She knew that he listened, that he cared. Afterall, how would he had known her very tastes if he didn't. She would find out from JARVIS later if Tony had had any help in preparing her gifts for that night, but she suspected that he'd done it completely on his own. When Anna had first come in to their lives, Pepper had secretly worried that things would change between them, that having a fully-grown daughter thrust upon him would damage their relationship, but it hadn't, it had done the opposite. They had been  _stronger_. Tony hadn't shut her out like she had worried he would, he hadn't cast her aside. Tony had asked her for help, had  _wanted_  her to help and be a part of Anna's life from the moment he found out about her. Pepper felt a flicker of shame for ever thinking such a thing, but it was something she couldn't help at the time. There was no doubt about their relationship anymore, from either of them. It was something they were consistently vocal about with each other. Having Anna come to live with them had made them better.

Anna was her daughter in everything other than blood, and in a frank discussion about their own relationship when the girl was nineteen, Anna had said the same thing in response. Pepper would never,  _ever_ , replace her mother, nor did she want to, but she had let Anna know she loved her as though she was her own. Pepper watched Anna through the mirror as she worked her hair in to soft waves, pinning it up on the right side. She caught Pepper staring and waited for approval, Pepper giving it to her with a vigorous nod. The moment Anna stepped back, Pepper started on her make-up, pulling out everything she needed in an instant. She only applied light amounts of everything, preferring a natural look. She chose a light dusting of powder foundation rather than the liquid one she sometimes used and forwent eyeshadow and eyeliner, just using mascara to coat her lashes. Tony never cared whether a woman had a full face on or not. Once she was finished, Pepper grabbed her new underwear and disappeared in to the bathroom to change. When she stepped back in to the bedroom, Anna had the dress off the hanger and in her hands, waiting patiently to help Pepper in to it. Neither she nor Anna were shy around each other, having gone shopping multiple times together over the last few years. Anna had pulled the stool over from the vanity and stood on it while Pepper lifted her arms, letting the smooth material travel down her body until it was hanging on her shoulders. It felt heavenly. She sat on the edge of the bed, strapping on her heels while Anna fastened the necklace round her neck and then the bracelet round her wrists, leaving the earrings for her to do herself. When everything was on and in place, Anna led Pepper to her floor length mirror, both women staring on her reflection.

"You look amazing," Anna whispered, wiping away tears. "Truly amazing."

Pepper locked eyes with Anna through the mirror. "Thank you."

" _Miss Potts,_ " JARVIS said, breaking the serenity of their time alone together. " _Sir has instructed me to tell you he's waiting on the rooftop terrace for you._ "

"The terrace?" Pepper asked, but JARVIS gave her no clarification. Pepper sighed, though she had a smile on her face. "Okay." Pepper turned to Anna. "Am I likely to see you again tonight?"

"I don't know," Anna said, biting her lip. Pepper wasn't sure what to make of Anna's answer, but she let it go when Anna pushed her lightly towards the door. "But don't keep him waiting – you know he gets impatient."

Pepper laughed. "Oh, I know alright."

The two women made it to the elevator, but Anna let her go alone, claiming that she was going to take the stairs instead. Pepper thought it was weird but chose not to say anything. JARVIS took her up to the communal floor. It was deserted. There should have been at least one or two of the others up there at the very least, but she was mildly shocked to find it was completely empty and shroud in semi-darkness. She passed through, heading to the terrace doors, stopping short when she noticed the glass had been smoked over, a setting Tony used in the lab only when he wanted complete privacy. As she approached, the doors came open of their own accord and as she stepped through, Pepper froze completely. "Oh,  _Tony…_ "

Tony was leaning against the railing that surrounded the terrace, wearing a three-piece suit with his hands shoved in his pants pockets. His shirt was the same shimmering blue as her dress, with a pocket square to match. His trademark glasses were gone, though he still donned sneakers instead of dress shoes. He was smiling brightly at her, which she returned, before her attention was drawn to the set-up before her. Flower petals coated almost the entire floor, only a small path visible marking her way to the single table set for two in the middle of the terrace, donned with a pure white cloth and a single purple orchid sitting the centre. What must have been a hundred or more candles were the only source of light for them, casting everything in a flickering orange glow. Music was playing faintly in the background, low enough that they wasn't in complete silence, but not loud enough for her to recognise. The scene before her was so well planned and thought out by the man she loved. It was perfect. She turned to Tony, finding him standing just behind her.

"Hey, Pep," he murmured, pulling her in for a gentle kiss.

"This is…" Pepper trailed off, trying to find the right word. She smiled softly at him. "Spectacular."

"I wanted to treat you, but I didn't think you'd want to head out on the night you came home, so," he said, gesturing all around them, before running his fingers down her arms on his way to grip her hands in his. "I had this prepared for us."

"It's wonderful, Tony," she said, kissing his cheek. "Thank you."

"Wine?"

"Please."

He led her to the table, pulling out a chair for her to sit, before taking a seat himself. He poured them both a generous glass of wine before signalling to someone Pepper hadn't noticed before that they were ready to start their meal. During the starter and main course, they had made small talk; Pepper asking about goings on in the tower since she'd been gone and he asking about the conference she had been to all weekend. While she enjoyed the meal itself – the food was superb – Pepper couldn't help but notice something off with Tony. To anyone else, it would seem as though everything was fine, and he was acting completely normal – but not everyone knew Tony like she did. He spoke a fraction louder than what was normal for him and his movements were ever so slightly stilted. His forehead twinkled in the candlelight, damp with sweat and he kept running his right hand down his pant leg. Dessert had been served but Pepper was worried. She put her spoon down and pushed the plate away, starling Tony slightly when she put her elbows on the table and clasped her hands under her chin.

"You're nervous," said with a pointed look. "What's this about, Tony?"

"I'm-," Tony said before sighing, throwing his napkin down and leaning back in his chair, giving Pepper a lopsided smile. "Nothing gets past you, does it? Look, I'm not good at the emotional stuff so bear with me, okay?" He copied her pose before taking a deep breath. "From the moment you walked in to my office, straight past the secretary and shoved a handful of papers under my nose I knew you were different. You didn't want anything from me other than to say I'd gotten something wrong and you wanted to save the company from a very big financial loss." They both smiled at the memory from all those years ago. "I admit, as I have done before, that I asked you to become my personal assistant because I found you attractive, but you became so much more than that. You proved, time and time again that you were more than just a pretty face. You saved my ass more times than I can count. You've picked up my messes, time and time again and even stopped me from doing some pretty stupid and irresponsible things. You fast became more than just my assistant, you became my confidant, my  _friend_. Do you know how happy it made me, knowing that I had someone else on my side? I now had three people I could count on; Rhodey, Happy and  _you._

"When I – when I was taken in Afghanistan," Tony paused and sucked in a breath. Pepper reached forward to grab his hand in an instant. What happened to him in Afghanistan, being held captive for three months, was something very rarely talked about. If, for some reason it did come up on conversation, Tony would shut down, chance the topic and excuse himself. "I told Yinsen that I had no one, but that was a lie, because I had you. Seeing the look in your eyes when I stepped off the plane, it broke me, Pep. To know that you cared that much about me, yet I was only your boss; I vowed to try and be better. Through everything; after that first press conference, putting hold on the weapons division, through Obadiah-fucking-Stane, you stood with me." Pepper gave an internal wince at the mention of the man who had almost ruined everything, almost killed Tony. "Even when you could see I was destroying the legacy my father created, you stood by me, and I can never thank you enough for that. I felt like the luckiest man alive when you agreed to go on that first date with me, even if it did end up being in the parking lot of SI. Truth be told, I'd take a cheeseburger in the rain over a swanky restaurant because it would be with you. After coming out as Iron Man, you stood by me even though it was reckless to do so, and you still agreed to date me. You took over as CEO for my company because you loved it as if it were your own. You saved it. We had a rough patch after Obi, and you  _saved_  it."

Tony's eyes were glistening as he spoke, and Pepper knew she had tears of her own. He'd always told her how much in appreciated her, but never in this much depth. It had been so long since they'd talked about all the shit they'd been through over the years that Pepper thought Tony had locked it away in a box at the back of his mind, vowing never to open it again in fear. He squeezed her hand gently, drawing her focus back to him.

"When I first heard about Anna, you didn't even hesitate before telling me to go and get my daughter - even though it would mean a huge change for us. You adapted our home for her without a second thought, took time away from the company to make sure it was perfect, took your time in getting to know her while still giving me enough space to get to know her myself. You gave her tips and advice when she needed it and I wasn't able to help." Tony gripped her hand tighter, and she equalled his strength. She saw the raw emotion in his eyes and heard it in his voice. "You didn't sign up for that, yet you still stayed, even today you're still here. You let a bunch of superheroes live in your home because it would make it easier for me, for my team. My team is your team and you took that on without a second glance. You sorted a job out for Anna's friend without a second glance, because you love her like she's your own. I can never,  _ever_  thank you enough for barging in to my life the way you did, because if you hadn't, I would not be the man I am today without you."

"Tony…" Pepper whispered as he let go of her hand.

He stood, the legs of his chair scraping back across the floor. He came to stand in front of her, bending down to kiss her deeply as he slipped his right hand in to his pants pocket and instantly dropped to one knee as he released her. Pepper understood now. Anna helping her get ready while not tell her what Tony had planned. Tony picking out the perfect dress for her, setting up a simple yet elegant and so incredibly personal dinner for just the two of them. It explained the nervousness and the most intense, emotional speech he had just given. She'd had no idea what he was planning and, for once, she was glad. She looked between him and the teardrop diamond ring, with tiny small sapphires encasing it and beamed at him. She recognised it, having been shown it years ago by Tony when he'd been drunk. It had belonged to his mother, Maria. Her breath hitched in her throat.

"Miss Potts," Tony said, grinning at her. "Would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

"Yes," Pepper breathed before he could even properly get the words out. She slipped off the chair on to her knees in front of him, kissing him. "God, Tony, yes!"

They stayed, embraced in each other arms for a few minutes, savouring the happiness the both of them felt. Tony pulled her in for another deep kiss, both taking her left hand and slipping the ring on to her finger. The ring was more detailed than the jewellery she had been gifted by him today, but it matched at the same time, and it all made sense now. Tony stood, pulling Pepper up with him and smoothing her dress down. She hadn't noticed, but the music that had been playing in the background was now playing a little louder. Unconsciously, the two of them, arm in arm, started swaying together.

"I love you," Pepper murmured, pressing her head against Tony's shoulder.

"I love you, too."

They continued swaying until they heard something hit the terrace doors. Pepper's head shot up in panic, looking at Tony, only to find him rolling his eyes and laughing.

"Go ahead and tell them, J," he called out, spinning Pepper round and pulling her back to him. "They won't go to bed without knowing."

Evidently JARVIS had done just that, because one second it was just the two of them and the next the doors had been thrown open and five fully grown adults came falling through. Anna made it to them first, pulling the both of them in to a hug and telling them that she was so happy for them. There were hugs and kisses all round and from somewhere, someone had popped a bottle of champagne and was handing out glasses, though Bruce's was filled with orange juice. When everyone had a glass in hand, Tony smile at his fiancé.

"Well, as you can see – she said yes."

"Congratulations!" was called collectively.

Everyone was looking at the happy couple. Steve was the first to raise his glass, calling attention to himself.

"To the future Mrs Stark."

They all tipped their glasses towards Pepper and Tony and Pepper found herself grinning when Tony whispered in her ear.

"To you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello out there to any of you still sticking to this story!
> 
> I've proof read this chapter about five or six times - any mistakes left is purely because it's 1.24am here in London.
> 
> I've been working on this chapter on and off for the past couple of months. I don't get a lot of time to write anymore and when I do - I just can't muster the willpower to actually do it. My sole focus at the moment is Starks Daughter. I want to completely finish SD before I continue any other fics or start any new ones. Let me give you a run down of my progress with SD so far.
> 
> *It will be a whopping 51 chapters - including an epilogue
> 
> *The epilogue is already written
> 
> *I have the dialogues for the next 5 chapters already written in full
> 
> *All chapters are summarised, though the last 10 only briefly - one in depth ones to be done
> 
> *Some dialogue from later chapters had been written
> 
> *My aim is to have SD completed either by my 26th birthday (Nov 13th) or by NYE. I do not want to take this fic into 2020.
> 
> If you haven't watched Endgame (What on Earth are you waiting for?!?!?!) please stop reading now. You have again be warned.
> 
>  
> 
> * *
> 
>  
> 
> I cried the entire last hour of the film. From the moment Vormir was mentioned and Natasha gave her life so Clint could have his, right up until the last scene at the cabin. This chapter has been so difficult to finish over the last couple of days because, although it went completely against canon, writing a story based on someone who is not longer alive is painful. Tony will always be my favourite character. Iron Man yes, but Tony Stark more so. Robert Downey Jr has played the part to perfection, and his presence in the MCU will be missed by many.
> 
> Anthony Edward 'Tony' Stark
> 
> 1970 - 2023
> 
> Iron Man
> 
> Genius, Billionaire, Husband, Father, Friend
> 
> Earth's Greatest Defender
> 
> Sacrificing himself until the very end


End file.
